We were overjoyed when he said "Amma" and "Papa" for the first time
Atif Shaikh was born on July 13, 2015, and has been receiving treatment at the Chingari Trust since September 2019. He receives physiotherapy, speech therapy, and special education. He suffers from developmental delay, microcephaly, and seizure disorder. His father is a gas survivor.
Talking about Atif's life, Atif's mother Mrs. Saira Bano told us:
Talking about Atif's physiotherapy treatment journey at Chingari Trust, his physiotherapist, Dr. Lubhna Baig, says that initially all his developmental milestones were delayed. He couldn't hold his neck, sit, stand, or walk. He also had balance issues and poor hand functioning. But now, all his developmental milestones have been achieved. He can hold his neck, his trunk control and muscle strength have improved, his walking abnormalities have reduced, and his gait has improved. Sitting posture and balance have also improved significantly, and his hand functionality has also improved.
Talking about speech therapy, his speech therapist Nousheen Khan says that initially Atif was unable to speak a single word. He would constantly drool. He also had difficulty in chewing and swallowing food. Atif's eye contact and attention were also poor. There were also issues with tongue and lip movements. But now he has started speaking sentences. The drooling has completely stopped. He is able to chew and swallow his food properly. Attention and eye contact have also improved. Lip movements have become proper and tongue movements have also improved by about sixty percent. He now recites poems and tells about his daily routine.
Speaking about Atif, his special education teacher, Ritu Rai, explains that initially, Atif was completely dependent on his guardians for all his daily living activities. He was socially active but needed supervision. His communication and interaction with others was also limited. In academics, he could only write "A" by joining dots. Now, he has started doing some tasks on his own, such as brushing his teeth, bathing, eating, and dressing. However, he still needs assistance with some tasks, such as tying shoelaces, buttoning, and zipping. He tries to manage his belongings by himself. Socially, he has become quite confident and friendly. He enjoys playing group games like cricket with his friends. He has begun to understand social rules and follow simple commands. He displays responsible and cooperative behavior with peers and teachers. In academics he can copy and write A to Z and single word independently. Can do counting from 1 to 300 and write number names. Can identify fruits, vegetables, transport, and animals. Understands time on digital watch and can read it correctly. Recognizes money (ten rupee note) and can purchase small items from a shop. Learning and understanding have improved significantly .