Ludhiana District Administration To Celebrate Children's Day With Children Suffering From Down Syndrome

Author(s): City Air NewsLudhiana, November 13, 2015: For educating the masses about "Down Syndrome", the District Administration in collaboration with NICPA (North India cerebral Palsy Association) or Ashirwad, will be celebrating Children';s...

Ludhiana District Administration To Celebrate Children's Day With Children Suffering From Down Syndrome
Author(s): 
Ludhiana, November 13, 2015: For educating the masses about "Down Syndrome", the District Administration in collaboration with NICPA (North India cerebral Palsy Association) or Ashirwad, will be celebrating Children';s Day in Nehru Rose Garden, in Civil Lines, here tomorrow. A meeting in this regard was held at Nehru Rose Garden, which was attended by District Administration officials as well as members of several NGO';s.
      While chairing the meeting, Mr Gulati said that people should not treat children suffering from "Down Syndrome" as burden and should take proper care of them and given affection. He said that the main aim of organising this special function would be creating awareness about "Down Syndrome" amongst masses. On this day, students from different schools would also participate in large numbers.
      The main NGO';s participating in this function are Shree Bala Ji Prem Ashram and Nikhil Vidyalaya, Ek Prayas, Nirdosh, Darpan, Ashirwad, besides several others.
      Dr Neelam Sodhi from NGO Ashirwad said that the aim is to encourage early diagnosis and acceptance of these children, by family and society, to encourage early intervention and inclusion of these children so as to achieve self-care, skill development and economic empowerment as far as possible.
      She informed that Down Syndrome is a genetic disorder caused by the presence of all or part (mosaicism) of a third (extra) copy of chromosome 21. It occurs in one in 800 births worldwide. She said that a preliminary diagnosis can usually be made at birth just by looking at the baby because of the presence of characteristic facial and physical features like slanted eyes, small chin, flat nose, low set ears, a protruding tongue due to a small mouth and a relatively large tongue, single crease of palm and poor muscle tone. But not all children will show typical appearance. If the attending doctor suspects Down syndrome, a karyotype with a blood or tissue sample to show chromosomes will be performed to verify the diagnosis.
      Dr Neelam Sodhi informed that NICPA (North India cerebral Palsy Association) or Ashirwad, as it is lovingly called by everyone associated with it, is a Registered Organisation working since September 1999 for children with disabilities. It is now a prominent cross disability NGO of Punjab and has contributed to make a difference to the lives of more the 1000 children and their families by association across the state. These are children affected by developmental disabilities like Cerebral Palsy, Autism, Down syndrome and Multiple Disabilities.
 
Date: 
Friday, November 13, 2015