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Introduction of the Department

The centre for child development was initiated on March 1st, 2013 along with a Sensory Integration Clinic, as a large part of the pediatric population was not being served in this area. It was created for children whose central nervous system is ineffective in processing sensory information, which leads to difficulty in functioning in daily life. Their reaction to activities may be awkward, fearful, withdrawn, hostile or aggressive, leading parents and teachers confused, frustrated and angry. They may have problems in moving, learning, playing, making friends and how they feel about themselves. In addition they may have problems interpreting sights, sounds, and in controlling their muscles effectively to coordinate both gross and fine motor movements.

Up until now these problems have been misdiagnosed, leading to medication, psycho therapy and parent counseling. It is important to know that behaviors are a message, a symptom not a diagnosis. Professionals dealing with children must understand not only the psychology of the mind but the biology of the brain as well. Occupational therapists are trained to diagnose these particular problems and plan effective therapy, as well as train parents on activities and techniques they can use at home. Critical to any progress is helping parents and teachers to understand the underlying neurological problems. Without this knowledge they cannot help their child progress. There is a great need for this therapy in Pakistan, and SIPM&R has been a pioneer in this field.

MISSION

  • To be in the forefront in providing quality sensory integration services and other learning disorders services to children with this need, by adhering to evidence-based practices.
  • To develop a guidebook that will offer support and direction to parents of children with learning disorders.
  • To provide on-going workshops as needed for Occupational Therapists, Speech Therapists, Teachers, Psychologists, and other stake holders, in order to promote greater understanding of problems and suggestions on how to remediate them.
  • To offer parents a platform to network with other parents with similar children.
  • To mentor and increase knowledge and skills of occupational therapy students during their rotation in our department.

VISION

  • To continue to develop, expand and provide sensory integration therapy to children from infants to 12 years of age who demonstrate signs of sensory processing disorders that interfere in learning., most notably children who fall under the Autism Spectrum Disorders, children with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, Down Syndrome, and others.
  • To increase our knowledge and skill by yearly adding current evaluation tools and equipment from international and national sources.
  • To provide sensory integration (SI) therapy to numerous children who have sensory processing disorders by developing satellite services in various communities within the province of Sindh.
  • To encourage staff to research on effectiveness of SI therapy with various populations and to publish their findings, in order to provide further advancements in this field.