About the Centre
People get to know PSDM mainly through booth in the annually Awareness Campaign, internet and also through mouth spread. Parents who want to register their children to PSDM can apply for a membership, and after that their child can join the classes provided and/or the day care service. The fee varies according to package and type of class. Student ranges from as small as one year old and four month to twenty one years old. Currently there are 18 children who are attending classes and day care service and 14 are attending vocational class. Overall there are 30 plus students in the centre. Most of them are Malays and only one of the children is Arabic but able to speak Malay after two years joining the centre. In the past, this centre was not well developed. The centre used to suffer from flood whenever it rains heavily. However, this problem was solved by Berjaya who funded the cost to structure a sewage path. There was also a music school who had organized a charity concert for PSDM to raise funds for them. Parents also donate some money for the centre development. And now, they are on the way to build classes’ exclusive for vocational students at the centre.
The classes here are adequately equipped. They are filled with a variety of toys, tools and games that can promote cognitive abilities such as house puzzle and block rollercoaster. In Special Education class, they have computers, television and a multi sensory room where the teacher can stimulate the children’s sensory such as visual and hearing abilities. The children found the room interesting and fun, therefore it can also be used as a relaxation room for the children since down-syndrome children are known to be easily bored and have an unstable mood. For each student, they have their own basket where they place their exercises whenever they have finished doing it.
Overall there are three classes provided by the centre. First class is for those under five years old. Their programme consists of Infant Stimulation Programme (ISP) and Toddler Programme (TP). Second class is for those above 5 years old or for the more advanced kids; some of them already enrolled in a school whereas some of them are in pre-school. Their programme is Special Education Programme (SEP). Under ISP and TP, their activities include “Patterning” where a child is positioned on its chest in a swimming posture with the help of 3 people. This exercises’ is to develop the Gross Motor Skill; the child abilities to stand up, walk and run, walk up stairs, and etc.
Cikgu: “Setiap pagi kat sini kita buat patterning. Yang meniarap macam tu kena ada 3 org buat. Dia macam berenang. Kena 3 orang pegang. Ini untuk minda dengan saraf. Budak down syndrome ni, dia orang punya anggota badan lembut, lembut sangat. Kita tengok memang normal kan, tapi kadang-kadang dia nak pegang pensel pun tak boleh, tak kuat, otot-otot dia memang lemah. Itu kita kena buat terapi lah.”
Oral Motor Skill is developed through various games with words or tools. Through this, they are able to improve their speech skills and also strengthen their facial muscles so that they are strong enough to chew foods, drink water and others.
Ckgu Suraya: “Oral motor tu untuk facial massage. Kita nak strengthen dia punya facial muscle. Dia orang kan susah nak makan, minum air pun, nak bercakap susah, jadi kita buat oral motor. Bagus la untuk dia orang benda ni. Awal-awal tu nak buat tak senang jugak. Kena buat sikit-sikit la. kalau menangis pun kita kena buat jugak. Selalu buat, ok lah.”
There is also ‘Flash Card’, colouring and drawing activities to develop their Fine Motor Skill which involve the small muscles of the body that enable such functions as writing, grasping small objects, and fastening clothing.
Other than that, they learn to identify the numbers and alphabets, English, basic Science, and story-telling activity. Every Thursday morning, they will have an outdoor/leisure activities such as shopping, exercising at playground, swimming, watching movie, bowling, horse riding, music session and gardening session. They also carry out Reflection session every noon where the teachers teach the children on self-management; their image, clothing and self care related matters. This centre also does not leave out the religious and ethics classes for the children.
Due to the lack of speech skills, the teachers teach them sign language as well. This is to make them feel easier to communicate with people and it’s much more effective. In classes, the teachers communicate with them through speech while making gestures so that the children can remember and use it in their daily activities.
The teachers and helpers too, assist the children in their daily activities such as eating; on how to handle a fork and a spoon, on how to chew, potty training; the teachers will remind the children to go to toilet every 30 minutes interval or more depends on the children’s habit; on when they usually will need to go to the toilet.
In vocational class, they learn cooking, sewing and anything involving skills. This class aims to develop each individual talent. Every evening the students will come and study one to one with the teachers. There are also some students who have not received any therapy when they are a child so they still have to study on how to read and write. Along the years, this centre has managed to produce a talented painter with this disability, whose works worth to a thousand Ringgit Malaysia and also, a syndrome down girl who are currently working at Traders Hotel in House Keeping department.
Currently there are two teachers serving the centre with the help of helpers. For leisure activities and big events, they will call for volunteers. Anyone can be volunteers; there is no certain qualification for one to be a volunteer. The person only has to have patience and is willing to cope with the children. Anyone who is interested to volunteer can go to the website or register manually at the centre. Some of the regular volunteers are from Master Skill College majoring in Physiology. They did their practical there and eventually volunteers also. The physiology trainee focused on children who are physically weak. For example children who cannot walk yet, they will help them perform series of therapies in the morning; applying what they have learned at the university. They also help in developing the children’s Oral Motor Skill together with the teachers. Sometimes in big events such as Sports Day, parents will also participate together with their child. This can strengthen their bond and also to familiarize the parents on how to treat their children’s disabilities and how much have their child improved in the centre.