"Children are not things to be moulded, but people to be unfolded!"
Childhood is a tender age of rapid Physical and Mental growth, and this is the age where, if children are nurtured to an optimal level, will lead to their transformation into healthy disease free adults.
Hence, with an aim of as basic as this, 8 young volunteers from the 'Switch team' marched towards a School in Neral named "V.Y. Kothari English School” where we aimed at doing a General health checkup, dental checkup, physiotherapy and health education of approximately a count of 150 kids.
We started our camp at around 10AM, where we all were motivated to a great extent by looking at the excitement the kids conveyed through their glittering eyes and pretty smiles. We attained the kids belonging to the age group of 10-15 years, studying in 7th to 10th grade.
We began our camp with general examination of the children, wherein the queue had to first go through the 'registration table' managed very systematically by Rachana, followed by general examination of the kids - which was skillfully managed by Surabhi, Dr Nitesh and Dr Saumya.
During the general examination, we came across a very common problem of kids complaining 'far sightedness' or difficulty in reading what's written on the board, from a fairly good distance from the board. We also came across many other complaints by the kids, some complained of ear pain, some complained of chest pain. All these complaints were listed systematically and the Switch team will notify these complains to their parents through the school, so that these don't go unnoticed and untreated.
The excitement of the kids, the energy rush into them, motivated us to do more and better!
Following the general examination table was the 'Physiotherapy table, where kids were assessed to have any kind of physical pain or difficulties. Kids came up with variety of problems, most common being the upper back and lower back pain, due to carrying a heavy backpack almost every day when coming to school.
Our Physios Dr Shruti and Dr Ramsha, did an amazing job at giving an appropriate ergonomic advice with respect to reducing the load of the backpack and carrying only those books to the school which were required on that particular day. Posture awareness and correction had to be taught to almost all the kids, as they presented with rounded shoulders, forward neck and rounded back postures. Kids learnt up the importance of a good posture really quick, and they were so obedient that we could see them walking erect after our teaching and advice, which made us feel good, that the energy invested was totally worth it.
Following this was the 'Dental Checkup' table which was being diligently managed by Dr Maithili Adarkar, where an oral examination of the kids was done, and advices related to maintain healthy oral hygiene were given.
All throughout this session, Dr Vinit perseveringly managed to look around at all the tables and he made sure help that neither the kids nor the volunteers had to face any sort of difficulties.
Apart from the 'Health checkup part', Switch team decided to give HEALTH EDUCATION by targeting the necessary topics like 'stress, depression, sex education for boys, menstrual hygiene and sex education for girls, importance of physical fitness, and dental hygiene'. A very satisfactory and explanatory talk was given to the kids on all the above mentioned topics. The kids displayed a great interest in the topics which made us talk in an amended and finer manner.
The Stress and Depression talks, which covered topics that were applicable to the respective age group we spoke to and covered points which were very familiar to the kids and the ones they faced in their daily lives, were given hand in hand, with certain helpline numbers (which included numbers of our inspiring volunteers- Dr Vinit and Surabhi) written on the black board at the end of each session. The kids can now contact these numbers in case of any help they require.The stress and depression management talks mainly emphasized on the fact that “healthy body requires a healthy mind too", to bring into picture - 'the mental health' which is very easily ignored by the kids these days.
Three different types of depression scales were made to fill by the kids, by the excellent efforts of Rachana and Disha, to make the kids understand the questions mentioned in them. A thorough evaluation will be done of these scales, and the results will be sent back to the school with analysis of the same.
Thereafter, the girls and boys were separated to give a talk on sex education, so as to ward off the shyness into them, and bring out the most questionable doubts that harbored into their minds.
The talk on menstrual hygiene was important, for the reason that this topic is not discussed very openly, and this silence keeps the young girls ignorant of their biological function. The menstrual hygiene awareness for the girls, made them cognizant and conscious about the care to be taken during their menstrual cycle and that how it was of utmost importance to maintain hygiene and be safe from the negative outcomes of unhygienic habits such as infections.
Followed by these talks, Dr Maithili Adarkar, gave a very advantageous speech on Dental hygiene and care. She also presented various labeled pictures to demonstrate the good and hygienic habits to be followed to maintain a healthy mouth and healthy teeth.
Last, but not the least, our Physios came up with a talk on the advantages of Physical exercises, the different ways to remain physically active and fit, precautions to be taken while exercising, the importance of engaging into various sports and recreational activities such as dancing, trekking, etc.
A practical demonstration of exercises was done wherein the students were made to exercise, which they claim to have thoroughly enjoyed.
A short talk was given to distinguish between good and bad dietary habits, with promoting the importance of healthy dietary schedule and having a balanced diet. Emphasis was put on avoiding junk, compulsion on having breakfast, and consumption of essential dietary products, such a milk.
A huge thanks to Mr Maroof Sayed for coming up with this idea of serving the most exquisite age group of our society, which is in dire need of health care and health education to reform into sound, wholesome and hearty adults!
We winded up by 3 pm, with a great sense of satisfaction and felicity. Kudos to all the volunteers for giving their best to make this camp a very successful one!
