KATHMANDU, June 18: Sita Sharma’s parents are overjoyed at the changes their daughter has gone through and has joined school at the age of sixteen. Having difficulty wearing clothes and pronouncing her parents’ names, Sita’s daily routine has now changed.
Her father, Chandramani, is happy with the positive changes in his daughter. He says, “She couldn’t change her clothes and take care of her bodily functions when she was at home. Now that she has started going to school she can wear her clothes herself, and even go to the toilet.”
After receiving psychotherapy and regular training from trained teachers, Baglung’s mentally challenged children have transformed a lot.
They have started talking, walking, wearing their clothes without anyone’s help, eating, drinking water, brushing their teeth, managing their bodily functions and are also friendly with their families.
Previously, these mentally challenged children did not receive proper care and were often tied up in their homes by their guardians and because of their mischievous ways, even had to be locked up. But these days, after they have started going to Baglung Bishesh Bal Kakshya Pravi, a school for such children and the only one in Dhaulagiri district, noticeable changes can be seen in their behaviors. Even children who would often lose focus and cry have started progressing.
The principal, of the school Yuktajung Rajbhandari informs that 50 mentally challenged children started improving after coming to school. The school has the capacity to provide free lodging to three dozen students.
Physically challenged children have also started minimum movement with the regular training that they have been receiving.
A villager, Prem Bahadur Chantyal says, “I would carry my daughter to school before. Now she walks to school.” Prem Bahadur enrolled his 15 year old daughter, Bimala, to school only last year. Focusing more on practical knowledge rather than the curriculum, the school teaches students up to class three.
What is mental challenge?
A person who has a weaker intellectual ability than a normal person and whose mental and physical development is weaker is known to be an intellectually challenged person.
Such children have slower learning abilities than those of normal children. If good treatment, regular training and useful guidance are provided to them in time, these children will soon see improvement.
Mentally challenged children have a problem with talking and listening. Hence, it’s important that trained teachers teach and guide them.
Signs of mental challenge
• Not able to talk properly
• Slow behavior
• Drooling
• Weak memory power
• Difficulty in walking and other movements
• Showing strange behavior
• Difficulty in daily routine (eating, wearing clothes, use of toilets)
• Problem with showing respect
PLEASE DESIST FROM ATTACKING THE WRITER PERSONALLY AND BE RESPECTFUL TO OTHER READERS.
Please give your full name while posting your comments. This is not to stifle the free flow of comments but your full name will enable us to print the comments in our newspaper.
![[del.icio.us]](http://images.del.icio.us/static/img/delicious.small.gif){kind=small}
Copyright © Nepal Republic Media Pvt. Ltd. 2008-10.