A teacher of a Jharia based government run resource centre for physically and mentally challenged persons visited the houses of autistic children belonging to the economically weaker section and provided them with educational kits on World Autism Awareness day.

The teacher provided tips in music therapy, play therapy, speech therapy, parent-child interaction therapy and applied behaviour analysis to their parents.

Akhlaque Ahmad, a special educator cum speech and behaviour therapist, told The Telegraph Online: “As our centre is lying closed due to Covid we have decided to visit the homes of the autistic children today.”

“Though altogether 8 autistic children are registered at our centre, we could visit only two of them living in the vicinity of the center, including 15 year old Shafufta Naz and 12 year old Priyanshu Kumar and interacted with the others over phone,” said Ahmad.

Akhlaque interacts with parents to spread awareness about autism at Chauthai Kulhi, Jharia on Friday Shabbir Hussain

“During the year-long closure of the centre we remained in regular touch with the students through their parents over smart phones and provided them with tips in play therapy, speech therapy etc,” said Ahmad.

Prakash Singh, father Priyanshu Kumar said, “my son, Priyanshu is good in play therapy, watches videos with keen interest and with little special care, is no way inferior to any other student of his age group.”

“We owe a lot to the teachers of the resource centre of Jharia as they take special care of such children like our son and helped them to improve their communication skills a lot,” said Singh.