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Journalism of Courage
CHANDIGARH, April 15: Mental retardation is not a disease or a curse but is only a lag in the affected person8217;s ability to learn and understand. This was highlighted on the opening day of the two-day Workshop on Training Parents of Mentally Handicapped Children, organised by the Government Medical College and Hospital , Sector 32, here today.
Conducted by Dr Reeta Peshawaria, a clinical psychologist at the National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped NIMH, Secundrabad, and Usha Grover from the Regional Training Centre for the Mentally Handicapped, Delhi, the workshop aims to help parents understand the children8217;s mental ability and the extent to which it can be stretched so that they can be optimally developed. It will also help them address certain associated problems that they themselves cannot identify.
Addressing the inaugural function, Dr Reeta Peshawaria described it as an 8220;Interactive programme8221; and said that the workshop will guide parents in the techniques used for imparting skills-training to their children. This includes toilet-training, feeding habits.
Such training would also help in the management of behavioral problems of these children that may range from stubbornness to hyper-kinetic or destructive tendencies, Dr Peshawaria said. About 93 individuals have registered for the workshop.
UT IGP Kiran Bedi, who was the chief guest on the occasion, applauded the quot;motivated and enthusiasticquot; administration of the GMC and the efforts of the organisers to arrange this workshop and reassure the parents that they are not alone in this task. 8220;The answer lies in making an effort,8221; she said.
