PrAYAAS: Children to be screened for speech and listening to difficulties in Karnatakas Chamarajanagar dist.

The Chamarajanagar district administration, in collaboration with the Departments of Women and Child Development, and Health and Family Welfare, and the All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH), Mysuru, is launching ‘PrAYAAS’ — Program for Assessment of Young Children for Auditory and Speech-Language Skills – on August 15 at Karinajanapura within the district.

The inauguration will embody the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the district administration and AIISH, in addition to the discharge of a public consciousness poster on speech, language, and listening to well being.

Research signifies that about 14% of youngsters are at a danger of getting speech, language, or listening to difficulties, which, if left unaddressed, can hinder their general improvement; PrAYAAS goals to establish all such youngsters aged 6 months to six years throughout Chamarajanagar district and supply well timed interventions, in keeping with AIISH.

Through this bold initiative, over 40,000 youngsters from roughly 1,400 anganwadis will probably be screened. Screening will probably be carried out by skilled speech-language pathologists and audiologists from AIISH and ENT surgeons from the District Hospital. Conditions resembling speech delays, mispronunciations, stammering, voice issues, lack of social interplay, listening to loss, and ear infections will probably be assessed, a press launch mentioned.

The initiative, scheduled to run till March 31, 2026, will probably be carried out in 5 phases — public consciousness campaigns on speech and listening to issues; coaching of anganwadi employees, helpers, supervisors, and ‘Poshan Abhiyaan’ workers for preliminary screening; specialist screenings at Primary Health Centres (PHCs) throughout all taluks of Chamarajanagar; detailed diagnostic assessments for high-risk youngsters recognized throughout screening and follow-up interventions, together with remedy and provision of listening to aids to youngsters in want.

By constructing the capability of native anganwadi and medical workers, PrAYAAS will guarantee sustainable early detection and intervention practices within the district, whereas mother and father and caregivers may even be inspired to actively take part by bringing their youngsters to the closest PHC for screening, the press launch mentioned.

Speaking in regards to the initiative, M. Pushpavathi, director, AIISH, Mysuru, mentioned that PrAYAAS displays a shared dedication to making sure that each youngster in Chamarajanagar has the chance to realize their full developmental potential by way of early detection, well timed remedy, and neighborhood consciousness.