Varanasi

Today we went back to the Kiran Centre and split up into groups of two to rotate through the various units of the rehabilitation department. We took the school bus about half an hour to the centre, but Sarah Kate and I somehow ended up on the bus that didn't actually have any children on it, just administrators and people who are training to be special education teachers at the Kiran Centre.

The rehab department has six sections, but we only went to Mother's Training, Parent's Child Care Unit, Physiotherapy, and Orthotics. All four units were really interesting. Mother's Training involved teaching mothers how to care for their disabled children in the home. There were two mothers there when we were observing, and they both had 8-year-old children with cerebral palsy. They were working with basic toys to teach them sizes, numbers, and colors.

In the Orthotics unit, we watched people work on making artificial limbs and calipers, which are braces used to support the legs of children with polio-induced paralysis. Fun fact: polio is on the process of being eradicated in India. So far this year, there's only been one new case, which is really exciting!

In PCCU, we saw children being evaluated, including an adorable little girl with Down Syndrome who was suffering from hypothyroidism (apparently a common condition in children with Down Syndrome). Physiotherapy involved watching children play with balls, do stretching exercises, and practice walking with walkers. One little boy went in a hammock-type swing for a while, which was adorable because he shrieked and sang Bollywood songs the whole time.

Shower time! Plus I'm exhausted. Sorry these posts have been so sparse lately! I'll try to pick it up.