The Special Education Training Center at Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Rumailah Hospital is helping children with special needs gain intellectual and educational independence through its comprehensive social, educational and rehabilitation programs.
The programs, which include special education, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and physical exercises, are giving children the ability to develop their physical, mental, and social skills, as well as shape their individual personalities.
“The center offers educational and rehabilitation services free of charge to all children aged three to six years. In addition, we offer instructional services and training to families on mastering the children’s development and skills advancement through lectures and meetings, so that parents can follow up on their children’s training at home,” said Ms. Narjes Suleiman, Head of Special Education Department at Rumailah Hospital.
The department organizes home visits for follow up at the request of the parents, Ms. Suleiman said, adding that the department plays a vital role in rehabilitating the children and preparing them for partial or full enrolment in schools and specialist learning centers.
According to her, for a child to be accepted into the programs, they must be referred by a specialist doctor from Hamad General Hospital or a rehabilitation physician from the private sector or any health center; the child must be medically stable; and must be able to benefit from the program.
“After the child’s registration, an appointment is set to fully assess them. The child’s assessment is carried out by specialists in our department and in accordance with their needs. A single educational plan is designed for the child with long and short term goals. This is all done according to the family’s needs and their future aspirations for the child,” said Ms. Suleiman.
She noted that HMC’s Early Child Learning program for newborns and children aged up to three years is considered as one of the most important programs that the Special Education Department introduced in 2006. The program includes a special education element for children with weak hearing and those with cochlear implants. “Under this program, children are being prepared for preschool learning as well as trained for acquiring comprehension, educational and rehabilitation skills. Early intervention for these children has been successful and a number of them have been reintegrated into society as they were able to interact and express themselves due to our intervention,” said Ms. Suleiman.
She stressed the role of parents and the need to collaborate with specialists by ensuring that the children continue to attend the program as scheduled in order to achieve the required targets set.
Ms. Suleiman said that after six years of age, the department continues to track how the children are doing, either at school or in the special education center.
She also mentioned plans to shortly inaugurate a special education unit at Al Wakra Hospital and to provide a similar service at Al Khor Hospital in the future.
Dr. Mahmoud Ibrahim Abeidah, Senior Consultant at Rumailah Hospital’s Neuro-Pediatrics and Rehabilitation section said: “As a member of the multidisciplinary team, we help set the standard of care for children with disabilities. We also provide a leadership role in coordinating their care upon admission to our rehabilitation program by liaising with other health care professionals involved as well as referring the children to appropriate services or specialists for further diagnostic evaluation or intervention.”
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Corporate Communications Department
Hamad Medical Corporation
