The Thrikkakara municipality is planning to set up free physiotherapy and speech therapy clinics for children in three government and aided schools.
To begin with, the first such clinic will turn operational at the Padamugal Government Upper Primary School later this month. The municipality has set apart ₹3 lakh for the proposed clinic. Besides, therapists also have been appointed.
The school was chosen since it already has dedicated facilities for such a clinic readied during the term of late Thrikkakara MLA P.T. Thomas under his MLA Local Area Development Fund. “Tender procedures are under way for procuring the necessary equipment for the clinic,” said P.M. Younis, municipal vice chairperson.
Plans are afoot to set up similar clinics in the remaining two schools within the municipal limits during the next academic year. Though operated out of the school, the services of the clinic will be available to all children aged below 15 within the municipal limits, said sources.
On whether parents can just drop in with their children or will the clinic be limited to those referred by ENT doctors or childcare specialists, sources said a decision was yet to be taken. At present, children within the Thrikkakara municipal limits have no such centres offering free physiotherapy and speech therapy and are dependent on the centre in Eloor municipality.
Though there are many children in need of therapists’ services, most of them hardly benefit from the Eloor centre on account of the distance factor. The proposed clinic at Padamugal is likely to resolve that problem.
The clinic will also have facility for social intervention measures for children suffering from speech impairment owing to isolation. Speech therapy for such children will start at a later stage. The proposed clinic is likely to operate during the usual working hours from 10 a.m. to 3.30 p.m.