Getting basics right

“Manish is such a friendly therapist. I have been to at least 50-60 therapists across the country and in New York,and I have realised that these sessions should not be a burden on the child. Therapy is not the treatment of a disease. It is making a life-long condition easier to handle. My daughter feels happy here. I have been bringing her here for the last six years,” Ruchika Takkar,Manavi’s mother says.

While doctors have been unable to identify the genetic root behind Manavi’s functional disorders,Samnani says he is trained to go beyond the “disease” symptoms. “I see the behavioural and functional aspects. For me the child’s inability to communicate,concentrate,attention deficiency,problems in maintaining eye contact are symptoms,rather than what led to them. It is often a huge task to convince doctors to see this crucial aspect,” he says.

Amid 100-odd therapy centres in the Capital,what makes Manish’s work different? Over a decade ago,after completing his graduation in Occupational Therapy in National Institute of Rehabilitation Training and Research in Cuttack,Samnani got an opportunity to work in Ireland. Samnani decided to stay back. “For me,therapy can be both scientific and have immense creative opportunity in how to devise ways to help each child,” he says.

Manavi does not speak and still has problems maintaining eye contact. She used to swing her hands repeatedly,which many previous therapists had tried to stop. “Most therapists try to stop repetitive behaviour. For Manavi,this is a non-verbal communication method. I do not want to control all aspects of the child’s behaviour to the point that she starts dreading therapy,” he says.

Soch,his therapy centre,uses many methods to break established structures in therapy. “For children at the extreme end of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD),there is a common symptom. They try to shut their ears in classrooms. The standard aim of therapy or even home tactics are to make the child stop doing this,but the child is trying to say that the class is too loud,” Samnani says.

He feels that music and sports are critical aspects for children with learning disorders. “Kids here need to be taught the skills to enjoy their games and even music. In the long term,they may find their vocation in these fields,” he says.

After doing his post graduation in paediatric occupational therapy at the Jamia Hamdard University,where he met his wife,Samnani worked at the Delhi-based Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Institute of the Physically Handicapped for four years. Again,the “structured” approach to therapy,and emphasis on the physical disabilities like those faced by patients of cerebral palsy,made him quit the job.

Samnani and his wife Malavika then decided to leave their South Delhi home,shift to Gurgaon and start Soch. “Delhi was burgeoning with therapists,but Gurgaon was then an emerging township and there were no facilities there. So we started Soch in our flat. There was no signboard,no marketing,just us going to children’s homes,talking to parents and getting some to come over,” he recalls.

They contacted paediatricians in the area and tried to sensitise them to the need for occupational therapists. “We did sessions with schoolteachers on assessing developmental delays through a child’s handwriting. Till a child goes to school,parents often do not take into account obvious symptoms like bad handwriting. Teachers are crucial links,” Samnani says.

The couple also sent out many advertisements without naming themselves or their organisation,on the indicators which signal development delays or disorders in children,and the need for therapy.

Now,over 100 children have registered with Soch,and it has a staff of four occupational therapists and two special educators.

Their success is measured in little joys like when Manavi managed to knock down a bowling pin and sip her coffee without spilling. When some of the teenagers picking up “functional academics” learn to tie their own buttons and shoelaces and make eye contact,Samnani feels he has achieved quite a bit.

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