Strength and weakness of the guidelines of Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (dated January 5, 2018): With respect to the persons with neurodevelopmental disorders

• Published in: Indian journal of psychiatry Vol. 60; no. 3; pp. 261 - 264
• Main Authors: John, Thomas, Subramanyam, Alka, Sagar, Rajesh
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd 01.07.2018; Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt. Ltd; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd
• Subjects: Age; Care and treatment; Certification; Civil rights; Classification; Deafness; Diagnosis; Disability; Disability rights; Dwarfism; Empowerment; Interpretation and construction; Learning disorders; Mental disorders; Mentally disabled children; Neurodevelopmental disorders; Pediatrics; People with disabilities; Psychiatrists; India
• ISSN: 0019-5545; 1998-3794
• DOI: 10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_326_18

[...]what amount of discrepancy between the achievement and potential should be considered as a significant is still a question mark. Because of this, experts advocate about the response to intervention approach (RTI), as an alternative to the ability–achievement discrepancy model. [...]in the present context, one can only say whether the candidate is having or not having SLD for that particular subject/grade which may or may not even vary later. [...]NIMHANS battery has to be modified for that purpose or a better tool needs to be created for the countryIn the case of ID, the guideline insists on diagnosis based on Vineland Social Maturity Scale (VSMS) and intelligence quotient tests, ignoring the role of clinical assessment. Some of the pediatricians and pediatric neurologists who are newly introduced in the certification board expressed their apprehension and lack of clinical awareness regarding the behavioral aspects of neurodevelopmental disorders to the authorities in some of the Indian states. Since the above notification, children with disabilities have been suffering long queues and running form pillar to postdue to lack of pediatrician expertise in dealing with certification of children with neurodevelopmental disorder.