Inspiring people to know that getting help on time can really make a big difference in how we feel, how we get along with others and how we do in school. This is what people in Kerala think is very important for our children. Getting therapy can help build stronger emotions, better social skills and better academic skills.
Education is something we value a lot. We want to give children the chances to do well whether it is in school or, in other activities they like to do.
When it comes to helping children with challenges, sometimes parents think that children will just get better on their own and that they will grow out of their problems. Childhood therapy and early diagnosis and psychological intervention are things that can really help children. We should not hesitate to use them.
Real life experiences and lots of stories from people’s lives, along with science gives us meaningful insights. Early help is not about giving support to children; it is about giving them the power to do things by themselves.
Why Early Intervention Matters — Especially in Kerala
Our school system is quite complex and rigid. People expect kids to do great when they are still young. Kids are supposed to do well in school and also in other things they do outside of class. They have to do more than they can really handle. In a place like these, kids need to be able to control their feelings and pay attention and feel good about themselves. The academic culture is very competitive. It expects achievements from children at a young age and so emotional regulation and social confidence are essential for children to succeed in this environment and attention skills are also very important for the children.
Early intervention and therapy enable people to get the help they need.
* It helps them to deal with their problems
* It gives them the support they need to get
Early intervention and therapy is very helpful and it provides:
Emotional fortitude: Emotional fortitude is really important for kids. It helps children express their feelings in an easier way.
Social reassurance: It helps people communicate better with each other. It also helps people make friends and get along with others. Social reassurance is important, for improving friendships and interpersonal skills. When people have reassurance, they can talk to each other more easily and make good friends.
Academic Strength:It helps you to focus on your work. You learn how to plan and get things done on time. You also get better at organising your time and your work. This is when you figure out what works best for you to learn things. Strength in academics is very useful because it teaches you these skills, like planning and organisation and learning strategies.
Children grow into adults strongly and confidently when challenges are addressed early, who are not just educated—but also balanced, capable, and confident.
A Psychologist shares a story about a young boy and his journey of ADHD
A clinical psychologist Dr.Malathi shares an experience. This story is about the journey of a boy named Vikas who has ADHD and and how it could have been easier for him.
Dr.Malathi says that the boy’s journey was really tough. If people had understood the boy and his ADHD better, things might have been easier for him. The doctor wants to share this story so that we can learn from it and help people who have ADHD.
Vikas says that his life was very hectic and he was missing deadlines. Vikas had a tough time paying attention in class and he would forget his homework and he felt embarrassed because his friends seemed to be handling everything easily. Vikas felt like his friends were doing a great job managing their time.
Dr. Malathi after several sessions of intervention discovered that Vikas had ADHD since his very young age and nobody noticed it or did anything about it.
She remembers that his teacher’s always said Vikas was lazy and careless. At home Vikas was scolded for being forgetful or not concentrating on anything. No one realised that these were symptoms of ADHD. Everyone said these were Vikas personality flaws.
When he got to the primary level a lot of problems had built up for him. The boy made a lot of progress with the help of therapy. He was able to do better in school and with his friends. Upper primary was a tough time for him but therapy helped him get through it. He learned to manage his anxiety and low self-esteem. He even started to do better in class and make friends again.
As Dr. Malathi gently explained: “If Vikas had received help when he was 3 or 4 years old, things would have been a lot easier, for Vikas. He would have felt more confident and his school work would have been better
This is the difference early therapy makes
How Parents can support early intervention
Parents can do a lot to help their children when they need intervention.
Parents can support intervention by paying close attention to their child. They should watch how their child plays and talks to people.
Parents can also help by working with the people who provide early intervention services. These people are there to help the child and the parents. Parents should ask them lots of questions about what they can do to support their child.
- Trust your observations
If you see that someone is having trouble paying attention or they are having problems with speaking, getting along with others, learning things or dealing with their emotions do not think it is just something that will go away on its own. Attention, speech and social interaction, learning and emotional control are all things that need to be watched on and if someone is struggling with these, it is a good idea to take it seriously.
- Consult professionals early
Kerala, Kochi has really great resources. You can find child psychologists and good speech therapists, in Kerala. You can even find good developmental paediatricians and occupational therapists in Kerala.
- Reduce pressure at home.
Therapy is not a sign of weakness. It is a step toward strength.
- Advocate in schools
Lots of schools have people to talk to, like counsellors. When teachers talk to children it can really help children get the support, they need from the counsellors.
Early help gives them important tools and life skills they can use for the rest of their life. When kids get this kind of help it can make a difference in how they feel, how well they do in school, how many friends they have and how much they believe in themselves. This early help like counselling/therapy can shape every part of what makes a person successful.
In Kerala people really care about learning and moving forward. So it makes sense that we should start helping kids with their feelings also. This way we can raise kids who’re strong and happy.