IMHANS provides comprehensive Child Development Services (CDS) to children with developmental and psychological disorders. The multidisciplinary team functions under the guidance of Dr. P. Krishnakumar, the director of IMHANS and an additional Professor of Pediatrics in the medical education service of Govt. of Kerala with more than 20 years of experience in child psychiatry.
Early detection and intervention for developmental disorders beginning from the high-risk newborn follow-up clinic are unique to the CDS. A separate centre for children with autism spectrum disorders is attached to the CDS, which receives financial support from the State Initiative on Disabilities (SID) of Govt. of Kerala. Outpatient clinics of the CDS function on all working days as walk-in clinics. The OP registration time is from 9 am to 12 noon.
The CDS – OPD clinics function from the ground floor A block of the IMHANS building. Though they serve as walk-in clinics, obtaining a detailed report from the school the child is studying is encouraged. In the OPD, a medical officer's preliminary evaluation is done on the registration day. Those requiring detailed evaluation are given appointments. Children requiring specialized services are referred to the concerned specialities or therapists.
The specialists and services available at the CDS include;
Medical Officer/Psychiatrist
- Detailed medical evaluation, diagnosis and management of cases
- Provides necessary guidance regarding the required intervention for individual cases
Clinical Psychologist
- Psychometry- IQ assessment, Learning Disability assessment, Projective Personality Tests
- Therapy services- Parent Management Training, Behaviour Therapy, Family Therapy, Individual counselling
Early Intervention Therapist
- Early detection and therapy of neurodevelopmental disorders
- Sensorimotor stimulation techniques
- Parent Management Training
- Awareness classes for parents and Anganwadi teachers
Occupational Therapist
- Fine motor skills training
- Co-ordination Training
- Activiteis of Daily Living (ADL) Training
- Sensory Integration training
- Play Therapy
- Group therapy
- Parent Management Training
- Awareness classes for parents.
Speech, Language Pathologist and Audiologist
- Speech and language evaluation.
- Counselling to parents.
- Individual therapy
- Group therapy
- Home training programmes
- Early Speech and language stimulation techniques.
- Therapy services for various speech and communication disorders and voice disorders.
- Aphasia clinic for aphasia rehabilitation.
Special Educator
- Remedial training and special education for various neurodevelopmental disorders (SLD,ADHD,ID,ASD)
- Pre-academic skills training.
- Social Skills training
- ADL Training
- Awareness classes for parents and teachers
- Academic training for reading and writing skills.
Psychiaitrc Social Worker
- Psychosocial assessment
- Behaviour therapy / individual therapy
- Family intervention
- Group therapy
- Parent Management Training (PMT)
- Psychoeducation
- Community intervention
- Rehabilitation services
- School Mental Health Programmes
- Adolescent Mental Health services
- Support for psychosocially vulnerable children