|
|||||||||
|
Neurological conditions like epilepsies (fits), cerebral palsy, developmental delay, headache and behavioral problems are not uncommon in children in India. However, these are under recognized and inadequately investigated and treated in most of the cases. There are various factors responsible for this. Firstly, there is lack of doctors trained in paediatric neurology. Secondly neurological investigations like MRI (brain scan), EEG (brain wave recording test), EMG (test to look for electrical activity of muscles) etc. are not readily available, and even if they are available they are not appropriately interpreted in the relevant clinical context. Most of the western countries have their own websites especially designed to cater requirements of their patients keeping in mind the local practices and beliefs, and also support groups where patients (and parents) could meet and discuss their experiences and questions with someone with similar condition; but in India they are almost non-existent.
Whenever, I visited India in last decade whilst working in England, I always felt that there is a need to improve paediatric neurology services in India. Unlike most of the western countries, India is so vast and diverse that no single group of doctors, single institute or website could meet those demands but certainly improving the communication between patients and health professionals, increasing the awareness about those conditions among the parents would be vital. This website is a small step towards that. I have given some information about my training and background here, but my main aim is to develop this website as a resource of information and portal of communication for parents of children with neurological conditions which they can use to improve lives of their children with neurological conditions
Parents should find information about various neurological conditions in the “resources” section of the website. I am trying to produce most of the information / leaflets in Hindi as well apart from English. The information given on the leaflets is widely accepted facts about neurological conditions, which is based on currently available evidence.
“Ask Dr Maheshwari” section of the website is designed to enable parents to directly communicate with me about their queries. I would welcome questions from any individual irrespective of whether they have seen /are planning to see me or not.
“Discussion forum” is the section of the website where parents/patients would be able to directly communicate with individuals with similar conditions. This is being designed to help them to share their experiences to help each other. There would not be my direct involvement in this section of the website.
I do not want to continue writing and would like to finish by saying that I have come back to India with a mission and wish me luck. Please feel free to contact me, if I could be of any help.
Best wishes,
Dr. Nitin Maheshwari
|
||||||||
