Parents and children participate in an autism workshop

Your child cannot cope. He cannot sit at one place and disturbs everyone. We cannot fit him into the class.”

“She has to be taught the dance steps separately, madam. I am unable to concentrate on others when she is around.”

Everywhere, wherever they go, autistic children face such challenges and barriers which you and I do not.

Are they different from us?

Yes, they are. These children are on the Autism Spectrum (AS). Their needs and abilities are different, as are the ways to address their requirements.

They face barriers in communicating with the world at large. Yet if they are handled sensitively, it will go a long way in building a relationship based on trust and understanding with the society they live in. With the right support system, people with autism can live healthy and meaningful lives.

This guiding principle led a few parents and professionals of the city to come together and form a non-profit organisation called Parents Circle Time Autism Identified (PACTAI) in an attempt to attend to the individual needs of such children.

The objectives of PACTAI are:

• To sensitise society about the existence of autistic populations and foster their acceptance within society.

• To create awareness through lectures, seminars, workshops and conferences.

• To counsel parents on ways of coping with the day-to-day stress of dealing with an autistic child.

• To form a club to enhance social skills of autistic children through activities like dance, music, yoga and painting.

• To develop manpower resource like care givers and trained personnel.

• To open, run and maintain a rehabilitation centre, respite centre and a home to take care of the emotional, social and medical needs of autistic adults.

• To have a permanent address for the society.

PACTAI is holding its inaugural conference from August 24 to 25 where autism authority Dr Stephen M. Shore will address adult autism issues, including education, employment, advocacy and disclosure at Saturday Club. Shore serves on the board of the Autism Society of America and several other institutions. This will be his first visit to eastern India.

Representatives from schools including Modern High School, La Martiniere, Birla High, Akshar, The Heritage, Lakshmipat Singhania Academy, India Institute of Cerebral Palsy and Loreto House will attend. Calcutta University, too, has signed up.

Parents of children with special needs, educators and doctors have come forward to support the cause of PACTAI.

This is just the beginning.

Sharmistha Sanyal Ray,
Special educator and PACTAI member
PACTAI contacts: krishnaroy_2001@yahoo.com/ munmun.sarkar@yahoo.co.in

Chit Chat

Sports meet

The Heritage School hosted its first inter-school tennis and football tournament on August 7 and 8 at the school premises. More than a dozen schools, including La Martiniere for Boys, all three branches of DPS, Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, Assembly of God Church, and Calcutta International School, participated. Former tennis player Akhtar Ali and ex-footballer Chuni Goswami were present.

In the boys’ section in tennis, the St Paul’s School team comprising Abhijit Mallick and Arijit Mallick were the winners. The Heritage team, with Satovisa Banerjee, Manveen Jabbal, Ekta Lohia and Meenakshi Keeni won in the girls’ section The LMB team won the football trophy in the senior section.

Annual function

Techno India Group Public School had its annual function on August 12, with cultural programmes, a Powerpoint presentation and a prize distribution ceremony. In Ritu Ranga, students mingled song, dance and recitation to depict the six seasons of the Indian subcontinent, ending with a sprinkling of colours in the depiction of Holi. A Powerpoint presentation by students highlighted the school’s achievements.

Prizes were also given out for attendance, all round performance, and for upcoming student of the year.

(Picture by Anindya Shankar Ray)