Srinagar: Dr. Neha Tiwari, President of Sachetataa Foundation, conducted outreach sessions at Army Goodwill Public School, Pahalgam and Army Goodwill School, Khanabal, focusing on early identification of speech, language, and hearing issues.
Teachers were trained to identify and support students with communication difficulties, while students attended sensitization sessions on disabilities and aural and vocal hygiene.
Audio screenings and speech assessments were also carried out for students in need, addressing the gap in access to such services in these areas.
The initiative highlighted the importance of early intervention and inclusive education in underserved communities as highlighted in
the 2023 survey in Jammu & Kashmir according to which there is a high prevalence of communication disorders, with more than 30% of cases involving ear and hearing issues. Other significant disorders included language disorders (19.73%), speech sound disorders (14.19%), and fluency disorders (13.46%), with 19.85% of individuals experiencing multiple complaints.
