Episode 9: In Conversation with Rakhee Agarwal

Inclusion with Mansi

Episode 9 we are in conversation with Rakhee Agarwal who is a parent of two young boys, one of which we heard in Episode 5 of this podcast.

Ruhaan has many interests, mainly horse riding. He is passionate about horses with riding and even grooming the horse. He is passionate about all animals starting from fish to cat to dogs and now horses.

Prep and grade 1 is when a lag was noticed. There were difficulties in writing, letter formation and mirroring of letters and numbers was observed. Story sums and math language was challenging for him. He required a lot of repetition. All basic concepts had to be revised each exam. Sums presented horizontally were very challenging as compared to when they were presented vertically. While reading he would tend to guess the words, memorize what needs to be learnt, would also skip lines while reading.

In grade 3 he went to KEM for assessment. His developmental milestones were typical. He got a diagnosis with Dyslexia. He has reading and writing difficulties. He began with occupational therapy. He later was diagnosed with ADHD as well. He was on medication for some time but it was making him very drowsy. Medication was later discontinued.

He started with remediation from Reena Bhonagiri and went for occupational therapy with Judith. The support given in the previous school was not suitable for his needs. Change of school in grade 5 really helped him. The support given at The Orchid School was exactly what he needed. Attention was also paid to his emotional needs as well. The counsellor and special educator worked hand in hand to help Ruhaan and her as well.

The amount of effort that was put into it did not translate into the marks. Hence the diagnosis really helped to understand his situation. You are not alone in the world and it is not bad, it just means it is like a different ability. Everyday tasks are tough like buttoning a shirt or dropping things frequently. They are not doing this on purpose or to trouble you. Accept the challenges and do things differently.

Teachers helped him to complete his work, take down notes. They had an expectation from him and he had to live up to their expectation. They pressured him just enough so he would do what he is capable of doing.

In horse riding,Your whole body is involved, so all motor skills are taken care of. It helped in motor development, coordination, passion etc. He got state level certificates and medals for horse riding. This was a big achievement for him.

Tip for Parents: It is important to accept your child for who they are. Never hide the difficulties. Share it with your child. It helps the child to understand why what is happening and you give strength to your kids. Do your research, check which school has the appropriate support system for your child. Be ready for change if the school is not suitable for your child. Check if the school has a counsellor and remedial teacher on board and what concessions are available for your child.Focus not only on their difficulties but also focus on their strengths.

Do not compare your child with others. Accept their difficulties as each child is unique. Let them know that it is okay to be different. Find the right people who can help your child. At times the equation between child and therapist might not work out. It might be trial and error but you will find someone who will connect with your child. Find out tasks which you can offload to other people. You need to have your individual bonds which are beyond academics. It is a rocky journey but it is a wonderful journey. You just have to be there for your child and listen to them.

Tips for teachers: These kids are very sensitive. Speak to them separately and not to humiliate them in the class in front of the others. If the child respects you, they will do anything for you. If you respect them then they will respect you back.