BHARATI PAWASKAR
As you enter this attractively furnished colourful cozy space called ‘Miracle’, you wonder what miracles would be originating here. Upon pushing a glass door to step in, you encounter a side wall full that displays cheerful photos and loving messages, depicting hope, thankfulness and gratitude. Those are the miracles that this place brings in the lives of many “ parents as well as their kids. No sooner than you enter the front desk team warmly greets you with a smile and leads you to her cabin. Inside, the wall is adorned with neatly framed certificates that Dr Priyanka Raikar has earned in her 14-year-career in India and the US practicing as occupational therapist with super specialization in paediatrics and neurology.
“Our aim is to help your child to function better physically, emotionally, academically and socially in his or her daily activities,” claims Dr Priyanka who is credited for being the first India to attain HWT certification (Handwriting Without Tears) from USA. She also attained international certification for Sensory Integration and Praxis Test (SIPT) and is internationally trained in Neurodevelopmental Techniques (NDT) and Brain Gym (UK and Ireland).
Dr Priyanka is a registered and licensed practitioner in India as well as USA. Hence as soon as Miracle threw open its doors in Panaji on November 1, anxious parents began visiting with their little ones to seek help in various therapeutic services to address various health issues including mild difficulties to disabilities in children. With a motto, ‘helping you help your child’, Dr Priyanka has been offering support and guidance to parents and children since 2012 at her Margao clinic which has already catered to 350 patients.
“This is my second clinic in Goa,” quips Dr Priyanka. At both her multidisciplinary paediatric neuro therapy clinics, she and her team of expert professionals offer occupational therapy, sensory integration, speech therapy, physiotherapy, behavioural therapy, psychology, special education and child nutrition advice. The clinics also assess using various international certified standardized tests for sensory integration, developmental milestones and handwriting etc.
With a master’s degree in occupational therapy from the prestigious University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA, which ranks first in the world in the field of occupational therapy, Dr Priyanka is equipped to meet the challenges in moulding and shaping the lives of children from zero to 18 years.
Dr Priyanka did her internship at the World Renowned Rancho Los Amigos Hospital, Pediatric Therapy Network and Therapy West Clinic in Los Angeles, USA. After graduation, she practiced as a senior occupational therapist at ‘Every Child Achieves, Inc & Wellness Works’ at Hollywood, USA and also presented papers in seminars and workshops.
Miracle deals and treats many symptoms “ decreased attention span, difficulty in sitting at one place, hyperactive, poor eye contact, intelligent but not interested in writing, fine motor skill development like buttoning, shoe lacing, holding pencil etc. “Sometimes large sounds bother kids who don’t like even sounds of mixer or cooker whistle. Some kids spin objects or spin around an object excessively. This has to be corrected. Some keep on jumping, crashing, pushing etc and few others don’t have skills of group interaction. We also teach self-help skills, motor planning, eye-hand co-ordination, muscle strengthening etc. Some kids are bothered by textures. The issues could be varied and they need to be attended and corrected at the right time. We do that,” claims Dr Priyanka.
Understanding their anxiousness about their child’s development, the ‘Miracle’ experts include parents in the therapy team. After a comprehensive assessment, the parents begin the journey of discovering the utmost potential that their child possesses and help him blossom.Parents who are anxious of their child’s development, need to come out of their shell, irrespective of the social stigma and seek help. Once they accept that their child needs help, they can take the first step towards seeking that help and here’s a doctor to offer guidance and make miracles happen.
