Focus on Early Intervention at the UNICEF Inclusive Child Development Workshop

Inclusive early childhood development includes systems that should reach every child, including those with special needs, for whom early interventions can make a significant difference, said Vivek Virendra Singh, Head of Health, Communication Specialist, UNICEF India. He was speaking at a media workshop on ‘Inclusive Early Childhood Development’ organized by UNICEF in collaboration with the Press Information Bureau here on Tuesday.

Dr. Singh pointed out that 3% to 10% of the nearly 4 million children born in the state may have special needs. He also spoke about the District Early Intervention Centers for multi-sectoral interventions for children with special needs.

Deepa Bhaskaran, Director, Center for Child Development, Thiruvananthapuram, in the section on ‘Parenting children with spectrum disabilities’, spoke about intervening when the first signs of autism are identified rather than waiting for others to appear. Avoiding eye contact, not responding to name calling by six to nine months, or not babbling by 12 months are all things mothers should watch out for, she said. She talked about how to raise children on the spectrum, teach them emotions, regulate emotions not only of children but also of parents, coping toolkit and daily strategies.

Amar Fettle, State Nodal Officer for Adolescent Health, National Health Mission, spoke about building an inclusive health system, from primary and family health centers to CDC, and how these along with systems like Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) have helped in assessing children and providing appropriate interventions.

Muralikrishna Chinnadurai, Trainer, Google News Initiative India Network and Artificial Intelligence Expert, led the session on “Using Artificial Intelligence for Effective Storytelling”. Syam Sudheer Pandi, Communication Specialist, UNICEF also spoke.

Published – 27 Oct 2026 22:37 IST