Director’s Message
I wish all our parents and well-wishers a happy and prosperous New Year on behalf of everyone at CADRRE and myself. As we embark on a new journey this year, let’s pledge to join hands and do our part in making the world an inclusive and safer place for everyone. The CADRRE community hopes to do its part in paving the way for a progressive society by fostering an informed, sensitive and friendly environment for all. As we stand at the threshold of new beginnings, let’s cooperate and motivate each other to create ripples of change.
– G. Vijaya Raghavan, Hon. Director CADRRE
Ayurveda: A ray of hope for individuals with autism
From left to right: Dr. Omprakash Narayan, Dr. Priya E. P., Dr. Serena, Dr. Lakshmi M. K., Dr. Roshni Anirudhan, Dr. Sreekumar Namboothiri, Dr. Vaidya M. Prasad, G. Vijaya Raghavan, Dr. Anilkumar, Dr. Harikumar K.B. and Dr. Arumugam Rajavelu
‘Ayurveda for Autism’ – the first CADRRE FORUM was held on Saturday, December 16, 2017. Eminent Ayurveda practitioners from different parts of Kerala came together to share their experiences and shed light on the immense potential of Ayurveda to emerge as one of the most preferred treatments for autism. The Ayurveda approach to autism consists of a combination of herbal medication, controlled diet, yoga and a range of massages and purification therapies, most of which start with cleansing the gut, correcting the metabolism, and then moving on to developing the body and brain.
Dr. Vaidya M. Prasad (Principal, Ashtanga Ayurveda Vidyapeetam, Pattambi), Dr. Roshni Anirudhan (Professor & HOD at Department of Koumarabhritya, Government Ayurveda College, Trivandrum), Dr. Harikumar K. B. (Scientist, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Trivandrum), Dr. Sreekumar Namboothiri (DMO – Ayurvedam, Kozhikode), Dr. Lekshmi M. K. (Associate Professor, Government Ayurveda College, Kannur), Dr. Omprakash Narayan (Assistant Professor, Department of Kriyashareera, Ashtanga Ayurveda Vidyapeetam, Pattambi),
Dr. Arumugam Rajavelu (DST Faculty, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Trivandrum), Dr. Serena K. (Assistant Professor, Government Ayurveda College, Kannur), Dr. M. P. Anilkumar (Professor and HOD, Government Ayurveda College, Kannur) and Dr. Samuel N. Mathew (Executive Director, NISH) attended the forum.
Dr. Roshni spoke about how Ayurveda revolves around the delicate balance of elements (doshas) categorised as vatha, pitha and kapha and how the disruption of this balance can lead to various ailments. She further went on to explain how Ayurveda treatment usually aims at restoring the balance of the elements in the body through cleansing the body and mind of toxins.
Dr. Vaidya Prasad shared with the listeners the Sunethri protocol, a structure he developed specially for treating autistic children. He may have stumbled into the field of autism accidentlly but today he is one of the most sought after Ayurveda practitioners for treatment of autistic individuals.
The forum highlighted how the lack of evidence-based therapy and correlation with Western assessment methods act as a deterrent for people who wish to explore Ayurveda. Unlike Yoga, which has spread like wild fire all over the world, Ayurveda involves the intake of medication, which many view with apprehension. As a solution to this predicament, Dr. Harikumar and Dr. Arumugam discussed the scope of brain imaging before and after Ayurveda to try and supplement the procedure with evidence so that acceptance would be easier amongst all. Dr. Sreekumar and
Dr. Anilkumar also enriched the discussion by talking about ways and means in which Ayurveda can be propagated with evidence as a promising solution for autistic individuals. They also shared their experience of treating people who fall in the autistic spectrum.
CADRRE hosts its second advisory board meeting…
The second advisory board meeting, chaired by G. Vijaya Raghavan, Hon. Director of CADRRE was held on Saturday, December 9, to discuss the way forward for CADRRE.
It was attended by K. M. Chandrasekhar (Former Cabinet Secretary, Government of India & Former Vice-Chairman, State Planning Board), Sarbani Mallick (Founder Director of Bubbles Centre of Autism), Prathiba Karanth (Founder, The Com DEALL) and Dr. Arun Pillai Sasidharan (Consultant Child Adolescent and Family Psychiatrist) on Skype. While reviewing the progress so far and making changes in the current format was the main agenda, the board also discussed the prospects of starting a new initiative that would impart vocational skills to the students above the age of 14 and broaden the scope of employment for autistic individuals.
Ms. Sarbani Mallick and Dr. Prathiba Karanth emphasized on the importance of how acceptance has to begin at home. They pointed out how denying a child of his/her childhood by refusing them outings and forcing them to lead a sheltered life because of their condition is unfair and not done. This only aggravates the situation more with every passing day.
They touched upon various sibling and parental programs that will be initiated soon to educate the families of autistic individuals about the condition and help them understand it better. The advisory board also discussed the possibilities of CADRRE hosting an international conference on autism sometime next year.
From left to right: Haritha S., Neethi S. Raj, Parvathy R., Lekshmy R., G. Vijaya Raghavan, Sarbani Mallick, K. M. Chandrasekhar, Prathibha Karanth, Malini Unnithan, Swathy A., Annie Charles, Lakshmi R. and Priya E. P.
In step with nature
Nature is the best teacher and has the most valuable lessons to teach each one of us. The wind in your hair, the crunch of dried leaves beneath the feet, the fragrance of moist soil, chirping of birds and gurgling waters…. are truly healing. This is exactly what we wanted our students to experience when we took them for their first outing to the Trivandrum zoo. A bright and sunny day, the children enjoyed their drive from the school to the zoo. This being the first public outing for many of the children, the crowds at the gate, noisy vendors and other children visiting the zoo were an enjoyable sight for them. Puzzled, inquisitive and enthusiastic, each of them reacted differently. They were able to enjoy a quick snack in the zoo while waiting for the buggy. Travelling along the winding roads fringed with verdant greens, we occasionally got off at certain points to walk around and explore a bit to spot the animals in the enclosures. A stripy tiger, vibrantly coloured African parrots, rock steady hippo, monochrome zebra and grizzly bears were few of the animals the children enjoyed watching. Singing and tapping their feet to songs on our way back, the children had a good time.
Christmas at CADRRE
Ringing in the spirit of Christmas, CADRRE was decked up with a sparkly Christmas tree, glittery star, twinkling fairy lights, colourful streamers and balloons. Students, parents and staff came dressed in colours of the season – red, green and white, all adding to the festive mood. Our students spread the Christmas cheer by singing carols and shaking a leg. We saw some great sportsmanship amidst our parents who were roped in along with their children for the obstacle course and games. Santa dropped in to wish the students and distributed gifts to all of them.
Tips for parents
Educate yourself to understand your child
Parents of autistic children must educate themselves about autism. If your child is non-verbal then it becomes all the more difficult to try and understand them. Spend some time with them daily and gradually you will be able to map a pattern in their behaviour and understand them better. Take part in all treatment related decisions and ask questions to make informed decisions. Remember to always keep yourself motivated and make time for your child whether you manage to elicit a response or not. Miracles always come unexpected!
Sarbani Mallick, Founder Director of Bubbles Centre for Autism, Bangalore
Casein and gluten free diet
Having digestive issues is common amongst children with autism. A casein (milk protein) and gluten free digest is usually suggested for them. Home-made snacks devoid of wheat and milk would be ideal. If preparing this at home is difficult then a quick search on the internet will provide several links that sell gluten and casein free snacks. It is also advised to reduce the intake of food that is too sweet or sour. Ari murukku, beaten rice (aval) and ada (steamed rice pancakes) are ideal snacks.
Dr. Priya E. P., Ayurveda Doctor with CADRRE
More than just fun!
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy but what if work happens during play?
Splashing about in water is definitely fun and the benefits of this are umpteen in number. What is even stronger and happens inadvertently is the calming effect it lends to an anxious or troubled mind during the play. Probably this is the reason all children at CADRRE enjoy playing in the sensory pool. Besides relieving them of stress, the pool also provides tactile and proprioceptive stimuli which reduces tactile hypersensitivity and aversion to tactile input. It encourages social interaction, improves motor skills and enhances self – regulation. Playing in water also helps autistic individuals focus and be more organized in class.
Sensory pool at CADRRE
Unsung Champions
A civil engineer, Krishna Narayanan from Chennai is the author of “Wasted Talent; Musings of an Autistic” and “Why me? An inward Journey”. Krishna’s mother knew something was amiss when her child did not respond to things that children of his age usually do. As a kid Krishna did not show any interest in his toys, did not enjoy being cuddled or touched and didn’t utter a word. He was withdrawn and lived in a silent world.
During the 70’s, the knowledge in identifying and treating Autism was negligible even in the US. Jalaja, Krishna’s mother, realized her son was severely autistic when he was formally diagnosed by a doctor at the Children’s hospital in Boston. She was told her son would never understand the human voice but a determined Jalaja left no stone unturned to help her son. A trained Carnatic vocalist she sensed her son had an ear for music and started playing music for him which calmed him and although there was absolutely no response from him she strongly believed in her intuition that her son was listening. She kept teaching and reading world literature to her son who did not show any visible signs of comprehension.
However, as quoted by Krishna in an online paper, it was Ayurveda that did miracles for him. He talks about the immense impact Ayurveda had on him physically, mentally and emotionally. He was 23 when he started writing and communicating all that he had suppressed for so long. Impressed by her son’s writings, it was his mother who motivated him to write his story. Soon Krishna was learning Calculus and Quantum Physics from his father Dr. S. Narayanan.
Krishna Narayanan at his study (Photo from Internet)
Krishna’s story in his own words is a clear example of how important it is for parents to accept their autistic
child, stay motivated and never give up on them. Perseverance does pay off after all!
Thought for the month
“If you’ve met one individual with autism, you’ve met one individual with autism.”- Stephen M. Shore, autistic professor of special education at Adelphi University, author and a member on the board of ‘Autism Speaks’.