‘IF YOU START LATE, EVERY STAGE WILL TAKE LONGER’
Kalpana Jacob discovered that her son Zach was not able to form words when he was 18 months old. “Zach was doing fine till the age of one, and then there was a big lag. He even stopped saying words he had said earlier. He turned hyperactive, running around as an excuse for not talking,” Jacob says. She adds that it helped that she had friends and family who didn’t sympathise but rather supported. “They are sensitive to his needs but are also firm when required.”
Not being able to talk made him under-confident, which made him socially withdrawn.
“But since he is also a sensory seeker with sensory needs, certain things calm him down, like play dough. We let him play in the mud without worrying about his immunity. That helps,” says Kalpana, who runs an organization that offers life skills and leadership training to teenagers though music and storytelling.
Her experience has taught her that early intervention is key to helping children meet their development goals and integrate socially.
“As parents, you must watch for signs, however small, and track milestones,” she says.
“You shouldn’t listen when people say your child will catch up. If you start late, everything will take longer — the child will learn to socialise late and may become withdrawn.”
HOW THEY DID IT