A file photo of Father Muller Medical College in Mangaluru.
The Baandavya Child Development Centre (CDC) at Father Muller Medical College Hospital treated over 300 children with different development disorders since the centre was opened three months ago, said Anil Shetty, professor and head of the hospital’s Department of Paediatrics, in Mangaluru on Monday.
Talking to reporters, Dr. Shetty said Baandavya CDC is a multi-disciplinary hub providing comprehensive services for children and adolescents with developmental delays, learning disabilities, behavioural disorders, autism, ADHD, speech and language challenges, and motor skills issues.
Started on August 12, the CDC has been providing support for children to thrive in schools and at home. Expertise of paediatricians, child psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, audiologists, speech and language pathologists, paediatric physiologists, counsellors, special educators, occupational therapists and nutritionists, are being used.
“Apart from taking care of children, the centre is training family members and teachers in taking care of such children,” he said.
The department has held health camps in 60 schools across Dakshina Kannada and have screened more than 21,000 children for development disorders.
Among the issues of children that the centre is addressing include social media addiction, mobile phone addiction and bullying in the classroom.
Published – November 10, 2025 11:37 pm IST
