Asha Bhosle Inaugurates Morris Autism And Child Development Centre At Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital

Asha Bhosle inaugurated the Small Steps Morris Autism and Child Development Center in Pune on March 8 evening. The veteran singer traveled from Mumbai to Pune to be part of the endeavor that seeks to educate autistic children to such an extent that they be included in a normal school.

Small steps child development centre is a child-centered activity in Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital & Research Centre, headed by Dr. Suneel Godbole, Developmental Pediatrician. Since last three years, Prematurely After care – An early intervention program for NICU graduate babies is successfully run by small steps child development centre. It includes service of developmental Pediatrician, psychologists & physiotherapists. The goal of this service is helping the child to acquire all Developmental skills required for schooling.

Says Asha Bhosle, “every child has the right to live a normal life. I would like more and more children with autism to benefit from this centre at Deenananth Mangeshkar Hospital. Hence, I am personally here to express my support for this noble cause initiated by Dr Anjali Morris and Dr Suneel Godbole.”

Says Dr Anjali Morris, “when I was approached by Deenanath Mangeshkar hospital for setting up a center for autistic children, Dr. Donald Morris and I decided to help through their foundation in USA. The Centre is sponsored
by Morris Fund of USA and Dr. Donald Morris is a part of this foundation. I am proud to dedicate the centre to people of Pune for the children that I have always believed in, and helping them for their future.”

“Start early, go slowly, reach safely in terms of medication”, says Dr. Suneel Godbole.

The Small Steps Morris Autism and Child Development Centre

The Small Steps Child Development Centre caters to needs of various challenges in child development like attention deficit, hyperactive, disorder, learning difference, mentally challenged children, spasticity, communication disorder & autism. An interaction of Dr.Suneel Godbole with Dr.Anjali Morris, a wellknown resource person in the field of learning differences in  children, started a new association of thought regarding helping autistic children & their parents in a holistic way.

Dr.Anjali Morris, a Pediatrician by education & an educationist and philanthropist at heart had a vision of developing a comprehensive, multidisciplinary resource centre to help autistic children in and around Pune. A series of meetings between Dr. Anjali Morris, Dr.Suneel Godbole and Dr. Dhananjay Kelkar, Medical Director of Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital & Research Centre Pune, came with a fruitful conception of Morris Autism Centre in Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital, Pune.

With this vision, the Small Steps Morris Autism and Child Development Centre is established with the goals of early diagnosis of Autism & Delated Developmental Disorder in children, developing an Individualized Education Plan for the Specific needs of each autistic child, Providing multi-disciplinary Service of Developmental Pediatrician, Clinical Psychologist, Physiotherapist, Speech Therapist and Special Educator, and  to educate the autistic children to such an extent that they can be included in normal school.