Kolkata: According to developmental paediatricians who attended a two-day meeting in the city over the weekend, there has been a significant increase in the number of kids with developmental and behavioural disorders across cities, including Kolkata, during Covid, which has led to a rush for treatment over the last eight months. They noted that due to a sudden Covid-induced delay and break in diagnosis and treatment, the number of children receiving treatment for learning disabilities, Down’s syndrome, autism, and cerebral palsy has doubled. Many of these children have suffered irreparable harm as a result.
Because so many children are affected by its associated problems, developmental paediatrics is now receiving a lot of attention, according to Mumbai-based developmental paediatrician Samir Dalwai, who attended the National Conference on Developmental Paediatrics hosted by the Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP).
Compared to those with Down syndrome or cerebral palsy, many children with autism and learning disabilities were not identified. These have become extremely expensive for some, and there is a desperate need for medical attention. In comparison to the time before Covid, the number of these kids receiving treatment on a national level has doubled, according to Dalwai.
Shashi Panja, the state’s minister of commerce and industry, attended the meeting.
According to Shabina Ahmed, a developmental paediatrician and the chairperson of the IAP chapter of developmental paediatricians, communication and language skills have deteriorated, particularly for those who began attending school online.
As a psychotherapist and the founder of the Kolkata-based organisation Caring Minds, Minu Budhia stated, “Today, the need of the hour is to raise awareness about developmental milestones so that parents and caregivers can spot the red flags.”
