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The 100-Day Selfcare quest experience: By Dasaratha Rama

The 100-Day Selfcare quest: Making Me-time the LIFESMART Way

As a parent of a neurodivergent adult, I know how hard it is to find me-time. Between therapies, education, career, and many other demands on our time, we have no time. Now, I am slowly finding more time. A perfect time for me to think about and develop me-time. As Ananth is becoming more independent in learning and practice, I want to be mindful in discovering and using me-time!

Thanks Shilpi for starting the 100-Day Selfcare quest.

In this blog post, I want to share how this project is working for me. This is a timely project for me.

In this post, I will share my experiences in the first week of the 100-Day Selfcare quest. I will also share ten tips for selfcare, the LIFESMART way!

100-Day Selfcare quest: Week 1 Summary and Reflection

1) Being more mindful is the biggest benefit of the 100-Day Selfcare quest.
2) Thinking about where to spend the me-time.

I use LIFE goals for thinking about it.


L: Learning daily: What do I want to learn daily?
• Right now, learn more about Ramana Maharshi (Ananth is very involved with Ramana Maharshi Center for Learning and much connected to it),
• Learn about video creation (we are new to this!),
• Continue learning about theater arts and acquire additional skills,
• Continue exploring learning by narration


I: Interests: Everything I am learning is new and interesting, a change for an engineer/professor,


F: Family interactions: All of these activities are beneficial to my family, and


E: Engagement with community: These activities support the way I engage my LIFESMART community.
3) think about how to get time.
4) I am consciously choosing and nudging Ananth and dad to do some Bergen explorations so I have some me time!
5) The other part of LIFESMART – SMART projects are also how I think about me time. For example, I chose to attend a satsang yesterday for the first time.
6) I am documenting different me-time activities in a Googlesheet:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_49sWhsI0dCLIEbyxyxOzxf3wI6f13cxwkpnyR07vPU/edit?usp=sharing

Making Me Time – The LIFESMART Way
Your child’s daily LIFE creates me-time for you!


L: Learning daily
Identifying ways for Ananth to learn independently creates me time.
Example:
Ananth, his dance teacher, and I have worked together for the past few months on designing lessons, recording videos, and organizing practice. Investing time in designing a system of practice is paying off and Ananth is practicing mindfully and independently.
I: Interests
Identifying and developing a child’s interests creates more me-time for parents. Parents can use this me time for pursuing their interests
Example: Ananth used to practice Bharatanatyam and piano daily for many years. He was motivated to spend time on these activities creating some me-time for me!
F: Family interactions
Identifying ways for Ananth to spend time with dad and other family members makes me time.
E: Engagement with Community
Creating opportunities for your child to participate in community activities creates me time and also enjoyable we time!


How much me-time is right for me?
Me-time is a deeply personal question and depends on our circumstances. When Ananth was younger, I had very limited me-time. As he is getting older, I am better able to make time for myself.


What is me-time anyway?
One other question that I have been mulling: What is me-time? There are many ways of defining me-time. I look at me-time from a LIFESMART perspective. My ten tips below clarify how I think of me-time!


Ten Tips for Utilizing Me-time
Tip 1. Discover the doable. Even if you can find only a few minutes to spend on yourself each day, do it!
Tip 2. Use LIFE components
L: Use me-time for learning
I: Us me-time to pursue interests even if they are not directly useful for you or your family at this time
F: Use me-time to take time away from family to get back to family interactions with more energy and enthusiasm
E: Use me-time to engage your community.
Tip 3. Do SMART projects
SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-framed): Do SMART projects in your me-time

Tip 4. Grow Connections: Use me-time to develop and deepen connections with family, friends, and others. Do not limit yourself to connections who help you raise your child.
Tip 5. Enjoy Conversations: Recharge with conversations with friends and family.
Tip 6. Clarity: Clarify how to make and use me-time over time.
Tip 7. Choice: Make and refine choices for using me-time
Tip 8. Competence: Prioritize and learn skills in your me-time
Tip 9. Coordination: Coordinate with others to make me-time happen!
Tip 10. Me- time happens! Don’t worry about me-time. We often have little time for ourselves when our children are young. As they grow and become more independent, our me-time grows.


I encourage parents to investigate selfcare and take small steps to selfcare. Stay tuned for more posts on this topic!

Author Dasaratha Rama

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ART THERAPY AND SELF CARE- By Triveni Goswami Vernal


–Triveni Goswami Vernal
(Registered Special Educator A64010)

ART THERAPY: AN INTRODUCTION


Art Therapy is a therapeutic approach, facilitated by a trained Art Therapist involving creative processes to help the client, express their unexpressed thoughts, emotions and perceptions, through various projective techniques, to not only help them heal but also work towards their emotional, mental and physical well-being.


According to the American Art Therapy Association, Art Therapy has been defined as “an integrative mental health and human services profession that enriches the lives of individuals, families, and communities through active art-making, creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experience within a psychotherapeutic relationship” (About Art Therapy. Accessed from the website https://arttherapy.org/about-art-therapy/ on July 19, 2021).


In Art Therapy, the client -therapist relationship is situated within a confidential space, where every effort is made by the therapist to honour the sentiments shared by the client and to ensure that no information is leaked outside that space. The Process, rather than the product, is the focus of Art Therapy. The goal of the therapeutic process is the self-expression of the client and the art piece that is created, is considered to be a reflection of the client’s thoughts and perceptions.


CAREGIVING, ART THERAPY AND SELF CARE:
Being a caregiver, can be quite exhausting. Caregiving is not only limited to being physically present with the child or being around the child, but also be “mentally and emotionally present” at all times for the child’s needs. And doing that, day in and day out, can be emotionally and physically draining for the caregiver. One must, therefore actively take out time, during the day for oneself.


In 2009, a study in The Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders found that the “levels of chronic stress experienced by the mothers were akin to those of combat soldiers (cited in https://archive.nytimes.com/parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/18/going-to-battle-against-autism/).
Art Therapy can help an individual get in touch with their inner selves, improve self-awareness and help them gain insight into their thoughts and feelings, that they might not be otherwise aware of.



ART THERAPY ACTIVITIES:
Maintain a Journal: To begin with your self-care journey, you can keep a dedicated journal to jot down your innermost thoughts, feelings, fears, hopes and aspirations. You can write every day/once a week, whatever time frame suits you, about something that you like …a quotation, or a poem, or a phrase that you really liked, or about something that is bothering you, or making you stressful. You can doodle or draw or collage bits of paper/magazine sheets to create your own art, to illustrate the various emotions you are experiencing.
Sharing some activities from the book Essential Art Therapy Exercises: Effective Techniques to Manage Anxiety, Depression and PTSD, Leah Guzman, ATR-BC, 2020 –
1) Feeling Identification: Take a blank, relatively thick piece of paper and take any colouring medium (pastels, crayons, colour pencils, paints etc). Choose a colour that you feel reflects what you are presently feeling. Draw a circle with that colour. Inside that circle, use lines and shapes to draw an image or images to identify how you are feeling at present.
2) Scribble Into a Drawing: Take a blank, relatively thick piece of paper and take coloured pencils or crayons. Close your eyes and scribble a line on the paper. Look at it from various angles and then create an image out of your scribble using the coloured pencils/crayons.
3) Expressive Free Flow: Take a large sheet of paper, hang it on the wall and take sketch pens/markers. Stand and take any colour sketch pen/marker and draw a large circle on the paper and continue to create as many large circles as you can, with different colours. Use alternate arms to draw the circles. This exercise helps to loosen up and become more expressive.
4) Gratitude Check-In: Take your journal and write 5 things that happened today for which you are grateful. This activity can be done every day, either when you wake up or before you go to bed.
5) Draw a Feeling Wheel: Draw a circle. You can take the help of a circular object like the lid of a jar/ bowl, if needed. Divide the circle into 8 triangles (like in a pizza). On the top of each triangle, write a feeling. So, the circle will have eight different emotions. Choose the closest colour you may feel reflects that emotion. And colour the triangle, leaving the space, where you have written about it. Then ask yourself the following questions:
 Which feelings did you write down first?
 Which feelings are you currently experiencing?
 Did you colour any two emotions in the same colour? If yes, which ones? And what does it mean to you?
 On your Feeling Wheel, are there more positive emotions/negative emotions?

6) Mindful Sketch: Take a drawing pencil and a sheet of relatively thick paper. Choose an object near you and sketch out its shape. You can add as many details as you like. This activity can help improve mindfulness and focus.
Other art therapy activities that an individual can do:
1) Practice drawings that are based on the Principle of Symmetry. Such activities are therapeutic as they work on stabilizing Mind and Body.


Source: https://artforkidshub.com/5-free-symmetry-art-activity/
2) Create a Collage from various found materials (magazine, newspaper cut outs, old artworks) to create a new piece about your hopes and aspirations.
3) Working with Clay Dough: Create new shapes, dismantle them and create something anew.
4) Draw yourself as a Plant or an Animal and write down why you chose that particular one and how it makes you feel.
5) Play some music in the background. Imagine you are walking in the forest and try to transfer the feelings you experience as you imagine walking in that forest and the visual imagery, on the paper. The drawing doesn’t have to be perfect. It should just capture the essence of how you feel.
Thus, we see that the exercises in art therapy are a reflection of an individual’s thoughts and perceptions. Art Therapy forms a bridge to connect with one’s deep thoughts, desires and anxieties, that one might not be otherwise aware of. Art Therapy helps in creating a mindful and more aware individual. One can consult a trained Art Therapist to work through one’s inner challenges to arrive at a more balanced state of mind.



**The author has a Diploma in Art Therapy.

Author Triveni Goswami Vernal

Triveni Goswami Vernal is an Autism advocate, registered Special Educator (CRR A64010) and an Independent Researcher. Her areas of interest include Autism, Disability Rights, Gender, Art and Northeast studies. She is a mum to an 11 year old on the Autism Spectrum.

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Creative representation for this blog is done by our extremely talented CreativeSaathi associate Kabir Vernal

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Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Hello friends!

Being a mother to a special needs child, I have strongly felt the need that all parents with special needs children should be aware about their and their child’s basic rights and basic provisions of various laws related to disability. This knowledge not only gives confidence but also empowers them to deal with injustice, prejudice, discrimination etc faced by them due to lack of awareness in society.

In my last blog, I discussed about the ‘Provisions of Constitution of India with regard to Persons with Disabilities’
https://specialsaathi.com/2023/05/10/by-shivani-lohia/

Continuing with the same agenda, in today’s blog, I am discussing ‘Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities’ (CRPD). Today’s blog is an overview about CRPD. In the coming blogs, I shall be discussing the various provisions of CRPD in detail.

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is an international human rights treaty of the United Nations intended to protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities.
It got drafted on 13 December 2006 finally coming into force on 3 May 2008. As of January 2023, it has 164 signatories and 186 parties, 185 states and the European Union.
The convention is monitored by the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its purpose is to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity.

Guiding principles of the CRPD


The eight guiding principles that underlie the convention are as follows:
1. Respect for inherent dignity, individual autonomy including the freedom to make one’s own choices, and independence of persons
2. Non-discrimination
3. Full and effective participation and inclusion in society
4. Respect for difference and acceptance of persons with disabilities as part of human diversity and humanity
5. Equality of opportunity
6. Accessibility
7. Equality between men and women
8. Respect for the evolving capacities of children with disabilities and respect for the right of children with disabilities to preserve their identities

Some important terms have been defined as follows by CRPD.

Disability
– CRPD does not define ‘Disability’ as such but adopts a Social Model of Disability.
– The Social Model of Disability identifies systemic barriers, derogatory attitudes, and social exclusion (intentional or inadvertent), which make it difficult or impossible for disabled people to attain their valued functionings.
– The social model of disability seeks to redefine disability to refer to the restrictions caused by society when it does not give equitable social and structural support according to disabled peoples’ structural needs.
– For example, if a person is unable to climb stairs, the social model tries to make stair-climbing unnecessary, such as by making society adapt to their needs, and assist them by replacing the stairs with a wheelchair-accessible ramp. According to the social model, the person remains disabled with respect to climbing stairs, but the disability is negligible and no longer disabling in that scenario, because the person can now get to the same locations without climbing any stairs.


Reasonable Accommodation
– A reasonable accommodation is necessary & appropriate modification and adjustments, made in a system to accommodate or make fair the same system for an individual based on proven variable needs so that such person with disabilities can enjoy or exercise all human rights and fundamental freedoms equally with others.
– Accommodations can be religious, physical, mental or emotional, academic, or employment-related, and law often mandates them.
– Each country has its own system of reasonable accommodations.
– The United Nations use this term in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, saying refusal to make accommodation results in discrimination.


Accessibility
– Accessibility is the design of products, devices, services, vehicles, or environments so as to be usable by people with disabilities.
– The concept of accessible design and practice of accessible development ensures both “direct access” (i.e. unassisted) and “indirect access” meaning compatibility with a person’s assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers).
Accessibility can be grouped into three main groups.
o Physical accessibility
o Service accessibility
o Accessibility to communication and information.
– Accessibility can be viewed as the “ability to access” and benefit from some system or entity. The concept focuses on enabling access for people with disabilities, or enabling access through the use of assistive technology. An accessible society should eliminate digital divide or knowledge divide.
– Accessibility is not to be confused with usability, which is the extent to which a product can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency, convenience, or satisfaction in a specified context of use.
– Accessibility is also strongly related to universal design, which is the process of creating products that are usable by the widest possible range of people, operating within the widest possible range of situations. A universal design provides a single general solution that can accommodate people with disabilities as well as the rest of the population. By contrast, accessible design is focused on ensuring that there are no barriers to accessibility for all people, including those with disabilities.

You must have observed that the above three terms, Disability, Reasonable Accommodation and Accessibility, have been very widely defined and have practical applicability.

In the coming blogs, I shall be discussing more about CRPD.
Read ‘Importance of Financial Planning for Special Needs Families’ https://specialsaathi.com/2023/01/25/importance-of-financial-planning-financial-planning-series-blog-1/

In the meanwhile, feel free to share your thoughts on WhatsApp number +919910353219 or email contact@autismfinancialplanning.com
Source: Wikipedia

Author Shivani Lohia

Shivani Lohia is a Chartered Accountant by profession and mother to 8 years old child on the autism spectrum. The cause of autism awareness is very close to her heart and she strongly believes in equal education for all & strongly advocates inclusion. She has been homeschooling her son since he was 5 years old.



Creative representation for this blog is done by our extremely talented CreativeSaathi associate Vinayak Raj

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EVERGREEN MEMORIES – 2 ( The Night Stories)By Jaya Sudhakar and Siddhanth Palaparti

EVERGREEN MEMORIES – 2
( The Night Stories)

EVERGREEN MEMORIES- from the Random Reflections series by Jaya Sudhakar and Siddhanth Palaparti



Siddhanth was diagnosed to be on the spectrum only at age 5. Much before that, maybe in his third year, just prior to entering playschool and even afterwards, he started displaying traits which surprised us but we did not read anything more to it.

I have vivid memories of a New Year Eve party. It was held on the lawns of our Office Quarters. It used to be a much – awaited annual affair as we could get an opportunity to mingle with the families of our colleagues from various branches across Mumbai. Amidst the colours, bright lights, music and chatter,what fascinated Siddhanth the most were the patterns formed by the lights.They were beamed at different places on the walls of the compound and there was a sequence to it.The design formed in each segment was different and all of them were beautiful. Siddhanth kept tracking them and would move across the lawn, correctly judging where the lights would be beamed next. I kept following him like Mary’s little lamb and keeping with the party mood, many of the fellow guests were like ‘WOW’ at his powers of observation and pulling my leg about the free exercise that I was getting.

We had another unforgettable experience around the same period.Siddhanth had learnt to recognize the alphabet and very organically gravitated towards spellings.We happened to be vacationing in Hyderabad where most of my in-laws lived. Whenever he met someone for the first time and came to know his/her name, he would immediately spell it out. One evening there was a power cut and we were sitting with our extended family in the courtyard. The kids were running around and playing. One of Siddhanth’s cousins asked him to spell the number ‘one’ which he did correctly. She went on to ‘2’, ‘3’ and so on, asking him to spell upto number ‘15’ or so and he delightfully spelt all the number names correctly, amidst squeals and peals of laughter from his cousins. It was a game that he was thoroughly enjoying. This was a big surprise and revelation for both my husband and me, as prior to this the number names had neither been taught to him at playschool nor had we ever touched upon it at home. It took me around 3 days to figure out that the source must have been the book of numbers in our Mumbai home. We used to browse through it in a fun way to show him the pictures( indicating the count) and to recognize the numerals. It had never struck me that his attention was also being attracted to the associated number names(spellings)which he was grasping by himself !


In hindsight with more awareness about autism and after being familiar with terms like ‘pattern recognition’ and ‘hyperlexia’, one could relate them to these incidents. Needless to say, every neurodivergent child or individual has many unique perspectives to share. It is for us to be more and more open and receptive to their thinking to discover and get enthralled by the myriad colours of life that they have to offer.

Author Jaya Sudhakar

Jaya Sudhakar has done her Masters in Physics and was employed as an Asst.Manager in a PSU. Her son’s diagnosis urged her to seek voluntary retirement from service . She is actively involved with Forum for Autism, Nayi Disha and The Spectrum Autism. Friends,tending to plants, reading, writing, music, movies, travelling and a little bit of spirituality are her perennial energy boosters.

Typing of story in Word and Creative graphics done by CreativeSaathi Siddhanth Palaparti, Jaya’s son


Siddhanth is a budding graphic designer, coder and music lover. He has graduated in computer applications and completed several certificate courses. His work trajectory includes internships, freelancing and voluntary work for social causes. He derives immense happiness from remembering birthdays and wishing everyone for it. Swimming, travelling and playing music on the keyboard are his other passions.

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Preparing Your Child for a Doctor’s Visit: Essential Do’s and Don’ts

Visiting the doctor can be a challenging experience for any child, and it can be particularly overwhelming for children on the autism spectrum. However, with proper preparation and support, parents can help their child navigate the doctor’s visit, waiting time there, and everything related to it smoothly.

Today, in this blog, I will discuss crucial do’s and don’ts for preparing your child for a doctor’s visit, ensuring a more positive and successful experience for everyone involved. I will also provide you with practical strategies and tips to prepare your child including familiarizing them with the doctor’s tools, electronic devices, and the room’s ambiance. So let’s get started.



Do’s:

1. Communicate, Explain and Prepare in advance: One of the essential steps in preparing your autistic child for a doctor’s visit is effective communication.

●Inform your child about the upcoming visit well in advance, using visual supports, social stories, or a visual schedule.

●Explain the purpose of the visit and what they can expect during the appointment.

●Familiarize them with the doctor’s office environment, if possible by showing YouTube videos and picture books. Start by explaining to your child why they need to visit the doctor and what to expect during the appointment.

●Use clear and concise language, visual aids such as social stories or picture schedules, and consider using visual timers to help them understand the duration of the visit.



2. Role Play: To help your child acclimatize to the doctor’s visit and be more at ease, consider and engage them in role-playing the experience at home.

●Pretend to be the doctor and demonstrate common procedures like checking temperature, listening to the heartbeat, or examining the eyes and ears in a play- way. If possible, use some familiar lines or dialogues from their favorite cartoon. This will help your child understand what to expect and reduce anxiety.

●Take turns playing the roles of the doctor, nurse, and patient. Use social stories or visual supports to depict the steps involved, allowing your child to become familiar with the process. To help your child become more comfortable with the doctor’s visit, engage in role-playing at home.



3. Create a Visual Schedule: Visual schedules can be immensely helpful for autistic children as they provide a structured and predictable sequence of events.

●Create a visual schedule specifically for the doctor’s visit, outlining each step from leaving the house to returning home.

●Include pictures or symbols representing the waiting room, doctor’s office, and various medical procedures.

●Refer to the schedule frequently to reinforce the routine and help your child understand the progress of the visit.

4. Sensory Preparation: Autistic children may have sensory sensitivities, so it is crucial to address any potential triggers before the visit. One can consider following points if they find strong aversions for public places in their child

●Visit the doctor’s office in advance to familiarize your child with the environment and its sensory aspects.

●Discuss with the staff any accommodations or modifications that can be made to create a more comfortable experience, such as dimming lights, reducing noise levels, or providing sensory toys or headphones.

5. Introduce Doctor’s Tools and Electronic Devices:Many autistic children can find medical instruments and electronic devices intimidating or overwhelming. Gradually introduce your child to these tools at home before the visit. For example, you can play pretend doctor using a stethoscope or show them pictures or videos of doctors using different medical tools. Encourage your child to explore and touch the instruments in a safe and controlled environment, helping to desensitize any potential fears or anxieties.

6. Choose the right doctor: Seek out healthcare professionals who have experience working with autistic individuals. They should be patient, understanding, and willing to make accommodations to meet your child’s needs. Consider asking for recommendations from other parents of autistic children or support groups.


7. Create a social story: Develop a personalized social story that explains the entire process of visiting the doctor. Use simple language and visual aids to illustrate each step. This will help your child anticipate and understand the sequence of events, reducing uncertainty.


8. Visual Supports for Waiting Time: Waiting can be challenging for any child, and it can be especially difficult for autistic children who may struggle with patience and uncertainty.

●Visual aids can be immensely beneficial for communication and comprehension. Create visual schedules or visual prompts to support your child during the visit. These can include pictures or icons representing different stages of the appointment or emotions they may feel.

●Use visual supports such as a timer or countdown app to help your child understand the waiting time.

●Bring along comfort items like their favorite toys, books, or headphones to provide a sense of security and distraction during the wait.

9. Prepare for Transitions: Transitioning from one activity to another can be particularly challenging for autistic children.

●Help your child prepare for the transitions during the doctor’s visit by using visual timers or countdowns.

●Give them advance warnings, such as “five more minutes until we finish” or “in two minutes, it’s time to move to the next room.” This will help your child anticipate and adjust to the changes, reducing anxiety and potential meltdowns.

10. Reinforce Positive Behavior: Throughout the visit, acknowledge and reinforce your child’s positive behavior and cooperation. Offer praise, rewards, or small incentives for their efforts, such as a favorite snack or a special activity they enjoy. Positive reinforcement will help create a positive association with the doctor’s visit and encourage your child



Don’ts:

1. Don’t rush: Allow ample time for the visit, as rushing can increase stress levels for both you and your child. Plan ahead to avoid being in a hurry or feeling rushed during the appointment.

2. Avoid surprises: Be transparent about what will happen during the visit. Avoid surprising your child with unexpected procedures or tests without prior explanation, as this can lead to distress and meltdowns.

3. Don’t dismiss concerns: Respect and acknowledge any concerns or fears your child expresses about the doctor’s visit. Validate their feelings and provide reassurance. Ignoring or dismissing their worries may increase anxiety.

4. Avoid overwhelming waiting areas: Crowded or noisy waiting rooms can be overwhelming for autistic individuals. If possible, contact the doctor’s office in advance to discuss alternatives, such as scheduling appointments during less busy times or requesting a separate waiting area.

5. Don’t forget to communicate with the doctor: Inform the doctor about your child’s specific needs and challenges. Share any relevant information about their sensory sensitivities, communication preferences, or strategies that have worked well in the past. Collaborate with the doctor to ensure your child’s needs are met.

6. Don’t forget to debrief: After the visit, take the time to discuss the experience with your child. Acknowledge their efforts and reinforce positive aspects of the visit. Address any concerns they may have for future visits and offer reassurance based on their experience.


A brief story on Yuvaan’s latest Doctor’s visit

Two weeks back, I took my son Yuvaan to the doctor when he was suffering from diarrhea. Yuvaan is a well-prepared and socially adept child, comfortable in public places, including the doctor’s clinic. Thanks to the effort I put into preparing him for various social settings, including public places like a doctor’s clinic, he’s able to visit comfortably and cooperates during the check-up.

Regular visits to the doctor’s clinic, pretend- play and other mentioned tips above had familiarized him with the clinic environment. This proactive approach has always helped him feel at ease and made the visits less stressful for both of us.

On the day of the visit, Yuvaan was feeling totally unwell due to the symptoms of diarrhea. However, I had previously taken him a day before, to the doctor for diarrhea check-up.

As we entered the clinic, Yuvaan greeted the receptionist with a smile and responded politely when she asked for his name during checking his previous appointment details. It was heartening to see him behaving confidently in a medical setting.

While waiting for our turn, Yuvaan engaged himself in reading on the board nearby to keep him occupied, which helped distract him from any discomfort he might have been feeling. This is a self regulatory method he uses in every public place while waiting.

However, on this particular day, something unexpected happened, while playing at home in evening, Yuvaan hurt his knee, and as usual his immediate reaction is that he asks me to take him to the doctor and put some bandages on his “boo-boo” or to apply ointment or lotion or a band-aid.


Unbeknownst to me, Yuvaan associated that visit to the doctor with getting his knee examined and treated. As soon as we entered the doctor’s cabin, he confidently sat on the stool, greeted the doctor, and began explaining, “Doctor, look, I got hurt! I have a boo-boo. I stubbed my knee, and it’s all yellow, blue, and green now. Put some bandages. Fix my boo-boo.”
The doctor and nurse were taken aback by Yuvaan’s unexpected remarks, and they looked at him in shock. Had they responded, it would have been a delightful and engaging two-way conversation. However, I quickly clarified the situation to Yuvaan, informing him that the nurse would be the one to put the bandage on his knee. He promptly got up, went over to the nurse, and had a bandage applied to the injured area. Afterward, he returned to his seat, proudly declaring that he was feeling better. “Nurse fixed my boo-boo, I am feeling much better now” he confidently announced to me.

As I continued discussing Yuvaan’s diarrhea condition with the doctor, he couldn’t contain his excitement. On our way back to the main gate, he made sure to inform everyone we encountered in the corridor that he was feeling better and that he had received a bandage. His independent and articulate explanation of his injury and the subsequent resolution left me amazed. It was a remarkable accomplishment for a 5-year-old to handle such a situation independently with confidence and clarity.

Throughout the visit, Yuvaan demonstrated his ability to adapt to new environments and social settings. His cooperation and comfort in the doctor’s clinic made the experience smoother for both of us and helped the medical professionals provide the necessary care for his condition.

As a parent, it was gratifying to see the result of the efforts put into preparing Yuvaan for such situations. This incident reinforced the importance of familiarizing children with different environments, teaching them social skills, and building their confidence to navigate various situations comfortably.


Hope you enjoyed reading today’s blog. Do provide your valuable feedback and share it with others.

Thank you

Author Shilpi Mayank Awasthi

Founder SpecialSaathi