COIMBATORE: An “applied behaviour analysis” (ABA) centre for autism was inaugurated at the District Early Intervention Centre (DEIC) on Friday, on the occasion of the World Autism Day.
This centre will offer free therapy for autistic children from very poor and underprivileged families who can’t afford treatment at a private autism centre charging Rs 500 to Rs 3,000 a day. At least 40 autistic children have been registered with the DEIC for therapy.
The centre, called Saathvikh, will be run by city-based Third Eye—a learning centre for autism and Sharanalayam, an NGO.
“We will be placing one staff initially, who will handle autistic children for an hour each. One staff can handle only up to six children a day. We expect children to come at least five days a week for therapy,” said Third Eye founder Saranya Babu Prasath, who is a certified assistant behaviour analyst.
“If we start getting more children for the programme, we will hire more staff,” she added. They established a similar centre in Pollachi GH two weeks ago.
As part of the track record, Third Eye says it has mainstreamed at least 70 to 80 autistic children into normal schools over the past five years.
“The Coimbatore DEIC is the first DEIC to have an ABA centre for autistic children in the state,” said head of pediatrics at CMCH, Dr V Booma.
“We hope this allows the poor and underprivileged to access this therapy, so their children can be rehabilitated and allowed to enjoy a normal social life,” he added.
ABA is known as a data driven and result-oriented approach. “In fact, our data and results, and action in case of non-progress, for each child will be so clearly noted that anyone can walk-in, audit or check the progress for the same,” said Saranya.