“I’m just mad!” When we are emotional, we often use big, vague labels. We say we are “stressed” or “upset.” But “stressed” is a useless word. You can’t fix “stressed.” Can you fix “overstimulated by the loud TV”? Yes. Can you fix “feeling disrespected by my boss”? Yes. Can you fix “low blood sugar”? Yes. […]
Know Your Triggers: A Tool for Emotional Awareness Read More »
Primary care visits are short. By the time you measure height, check weight, and give vaccines, the appointment is often over. There is barely enough time to ask, “So, how are things at home?” That is why the PSC-17 exists. While the full 35-question checklist is thorough, busy clinics and overwhelmed parents needed something faster—something
The 5-Minute Check-Up: Screening Child Mental Health with the PSC-17 Read More »
Parenting often feels like a guessing game. Is your 8-year-old quiet because they are tired, or because they are sad? Is your 10-year-old “acting out” because they are being difficult, or because they are anxious and don’t know how to say it? Children are masters at hiding their feelings. They don’t usually sit you down
Is My Child Struggling? Using the Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC) Read More »
For millions of Indians with disabilities, the Disability Certificate is not just a piece of paper. It is a lifeline. It grants access to scholarships, railway concessions, government jobs, and specialized equipment. But for years, the process of getting one was a bureaucratic nightmare—paper forms, different rules in different states, and endless trips to the
Getting Certified in 2026: The New DEPwD Disability Assessment Guidelines Read More »
For decades, the metric of a “good school” in India was simple: Board Exam Results. If the marks were high, the school was succeeding. But in recent years, the Directorate of Education (DoE), Delhi, flipped the script. They asked a radical question: What is the point of a 98% score if the student is anxious,
The Delhi Model: Understanding Student Screening Checklists for Teachers Read More »
When we talk about Intellectual Disability (ID), we often focus on children. We worry about schools, early intervention, and speech therapy. But children grow up. A standard IQ test (like the Binet or WISC) might tell you a 25-year-old has the “mental age” of an 8-year-old, but that number is useless for real life. It
Assessing Intellectual Disability in Adults: The CAT-AID / CVAT Guide Read More »
There is a specific type of student who confuses everyone. They are smart, witty, and can explain complex ideas out loud. They might be amazing at Lego, drawing, or sports. But put a pen in their hand or ask them to read a paragraph, and they freeze. Parents often get told, “He’s intelligent, he’s just
Specific Learning Disability (SLD): A First-Step Screener for Indian Students Read More »
Dyslexia is often misunderstood as just “reading backwards.” But in reality, it is a complex difficulty with processing language. For years, identifying dyslexia in India was a nightmare. Why? Because almost all the tests were in English. But an Indian child typically grows up speaking two or three languages. They might speak Hindi at home,
Does My Child Have Dyslexia? The DALI Assessment for Indian Languages Read More »
In a class of 40 students, it’s easy for a quiet child who struggles with reading or a restless child who can’t sit still to get labeled as “lazy” or “naughty.” But often, these aren’t behavioral problems—they are invisible barriers to learning. Under India’s New Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the goal is clear: no child
Inclusive Education: How to Use the PRASHAST Screening Tool for Schools Read More »
In India, obtaining a Disability Certificate for physical issues is relatively straightforward—a lost limb or visual impairment is visible. But how do you measure the disability caused by Schizophrenia or OCD? You can’t see it, but it can be just as crippling as a physical injury. For years, this ambiguity made it hard for patients
Understanding the IDEAS Scale: How Mental Disability is Certified in India Read More »
If you live in India, you might have heard of the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK). It is one of the largest public health initiatives in the world, aiming to screen over 270 million children for health issues. The government recognized a critical gap: millions of children in rural and semi-urban India were growing up
The RBSK-ASQ: Understanding Government Guidelines for Autism Screening Read More »
In many parts of the world, autism diagnosis waits until the child is in school. But by then, we have missed the “golden window” of neuroplasticity—the critical period before age 3 when the brain is most adaptable. The challenge is: How do we spot signs so early, especially in rural communities where a developmental pediatrician
The Trivandrum Autism Checklist (TABC): A Simple Tool for Parents Read More »
Parents are the world’s best observers. You notice the little things before anyone else does. Maybe you’ve noticed your child doesn’t turn when you call their name. Maybe they line up their toys instead of pretending to feed them. Or maybe they seem to be in their own little world, unreachable even when you are
Early Signs of Autism: The Indian Autism Screening Questionnaire (IASQ) Read More »
For decades, doctors in India had to rely on Western tools like the CARS or ADOS to diagnose autism. While effective, these tools often posed a challenge: they were designed for children in New York or London, not New Delhi or Kochi. Cultural norms around eye contact, social play, and independence differ wildly across the
A Clinician’s Guide to the ISAA: Assessing Autism in the Indian Context Read More »
For healthcare providers, the challenge isn’t just identifying drug use—it’s knowing what to do next. If a patient admits to using opioids, does that mean they need rehab immediately? Or do they just need a brief counseling session? Making the wrong call can either overwhelm the healthcare system or leave a patient dangerously unsupported. Clinicians
Substance Use Screening: A Guide to the NM ASSIST for Clinicians Read More »
