Story of Ganesh, Disability type – Delay Development
“I am Ganesh. Like every other child aspires to play, think, dream, imagine and learn with utmost curiosity, I’m not bound to do any of them since my birth, although I’m 11 years old now. Because of the disability I’m born with and that is Delay Development. Imagine being in a society where no one accepts you, other children running away from you just because you are not normal kid like they are.
I too like to mingle with them and play with them, but that’s not been possible. I’m excluded and rejected as my brain isn’t developed, I am too short and my height will probably not grow anymore further. And so, people criticize me, degrade me and sometimes even make fun of me. It hurts deep down the line.
Before, I wouldn’t even recognize my own Parents. I had huge constipation issues. I would only excrete once in 5 to 6 days. I would barely identify anything or anyone. I would never feel hungry too. Nor I had any speech to say and express that I’m hungry and need food. What I always did was scream, scream and scream! I would also bang my head to whatever possible. There were hefty numbers of wounds on my head, err, sounds frightful, isn’t it? I thought my life would never change and will continue to be as it is, screaming all time and many wounds on head all over.
At my surprise, my life has drastically changed. And this change became only possible after i joined the rehabilitation centre for differently abled under VSDESWS. I have been receiving 1:1 education, training and medical care from the teachers and physiotherapists over here. Now whenever my teacher calls out my name – Ganesh! I yell out Haa. I’m able to recognize my parents. Before I would pee off everywhere possible, would openly defecate everywhere in and around the house and at my centre too. But now, I can sense if I have to excrete or urinate and also my excretion activities have been frequent now, unlike before. I am a much disciplined child now. Whenever I sense my excretion or urination, I go to the washroom first and then carry out the remaining stuff or activities. And also, if I’m hungry, I say it and also go with a plate in my hand to eat as I indulge in many physical activities, I feel hungry.
I identify all the colours, shapes, alphabets and say all of them aloud. I failed to identify my own parents in the past. But, today I’m able to recognize my Teacher and also my Driver who drives me to the centre. If he is late even a few minutes, I question my Parents regarding his delay in arrival as I like spending much time in the centre rather than my home. And so, I stay with a bag ready and wait for the driver. I greet everyone at my centre by handshakes. Also if any guest arrives at the centre, I bring them in and make them sit and make my teacher meet them. Before I would only scream, but today I’m trying to speak. I’m also learning discipline. I don’t allow others to touch my things easily and also I don’t like it if my things aren’t arranged in an organized way. Before, no child would play with me, but today they play with me and also they don’t laugh at me, rather they laugh with me. My teacher says that I am the Centre of attraction of my Rehabilitation Centre and in this way I am getting to live a life with dignity! I am sure enough that I will manage to make my livelihood too possible without depending on anyone”.
Ganesh-