Two aspirations !

I have had the opportunity to listen to parents and observe children in their early years of developmental struggles for a while now.

Recently, I wondered what would be the most felt need of young children in terms of their developmental aspirations. 

The two children in this post represent the common aspirations: to be able to get up and stand and walk!

The first child was unable to get up due to a neuromuscular disorder and the the second one due to an insult suffered during birth.

When their neuromuscular system does not comply with their aspirations  children long for freedom to move on in their gross motor skills, but denied to do so due to the limitations in muscle power and tone. 

Th consequences of the inability to want to do what they long to do are many. 

One emotional stress that parents experienced in both these children was irritability, crying spells for trivial reasons,  and not wanting to be social or playful. 

The disappointments they face in reaching their aspirations make them susceptible to behave in an undesirable way.

It is mobility that makes the link between children for play and interaction. When that is not possible some children get excluded from all the out-door activities and interactions that children are fond of.

The professionals and parents ought to be conscious of this unmet aspirations of young children and substitute opportunities for them to be with other children by organising a play group so that the developmentally challenged children also have social and interactive experiences.

A play group is an activity setting when all children can join in for interactive games and feel connected socially. Parents and volunteers can organise this so that there is a new dimension in the lives of children who find mobility a big challenge.

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)