Binney
- Aditya Tiwari, Software Engineer, Barclays, Pune
- Mar 24, 2016
- 3 min read
His eyes sparkled with delight when we both saw each other for the first time.
That feeling of love & affection which he longed for all this while, seemed to have reached his doors. The wait was over. I took him in my arms and shared a warmth which just the two of us understood. Hugs can bring in a therapeutic healing effect! I never experienced it so deeply before this. Yes, both Binney & I felt this emotional touch, so serene and caring within those few minutes, when he was in my arms.
Time was running fast and it was time to say good-bye to Binney. But it was hard to leave him behind; emotions were pulling us closer. On returning home, the flashback started playing in mind which made me little restless.
There began my struggle to adopt this special child and fate fell in our hands.
Binney brought in a lot of happiness in family, charming everyone with his twinkling eyes and his frequent innocent smiles. For many of Binney's friends, this became a ray of hope where special children started being accepted with positivity by families and also the society at large. Binney and me had to face a lot of ups and downs till the legal procedures were done. This journey of ours has brought a change in outlook towards 'Special Children' and has also created awareness about Down's Syndrome & other special cases.
Focusing on the physical and mental growth of a child is the benchmark that needs to be kept in mind by all 'Special Children' parents. In most cases of Down's Syndrome, the developmental milestones are markedly delayed, whereas in few they are less affected. Parents need to keep a record of their child's milestones, initially on a weekly basis and later on a monthly basis. The growth charts when compared to that of a normal child, can help to check how far does your child lags behind in his/her growth & development.
Binney, has now completed 2yrs of age and can stand without support on his own. Other children start standing without support by the age of 10-12months. This is just an example to check for the developmental milestone. But firstly as parents we need to accept in totality that our child is a 'Special Child', who really needs everything 'Special', be it love and care, or special attention with his/her studies, or special recreational activities like music & dance to help them grow & develop.
Raising up a special child requires a lot of patience. As parents we cannot bring in even an ounce of anger while teaching them activities. We need to accept the fact that our child requires the task to be repeated several times during the learning process, especially when dealing with academics. Studies have shown that mostly these children have an inclination towards music and dance. Binney too is one of them. He loves listening to music. The minute I play a song on my mobile, he raises both his hands in air and swings them up and down. He also enjoys listening to 'bhakti songs' like 'Jai Ganesha-Jai Ganesha' and 'Om Jai Jagdish Hare' which my father plays on his mobile early morning after Binney wakes up.
As a parent, I have taken utmost care to keep a check of his growth and development chart. Also I have seen marked changes in him in these two and half months after adoption. My parents and me keep talking to Binney throughout the day, so that the audible stimulus he receives helps him to reproduce those words verbally. As of now he is reciting words like 'Papa', Dada', 'Dadi' etc which for his age is quiet a good verbal responce.
As Binney grows with time, there will be many changes in his physical as well as mental growth. Life may throw many challenges in coming years. But as a parent, I too will learn down the lane, a lot of life's hidden secrets, and will face them all with a calm spirit, keeping utmost faith in God.
Each child is different, each one is special, and each one is beautiful and unique. Some will fly higher than others, but each one flies the best that he or she can! From here's my journey, trying to help my son find his wings...
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