Focusing on Speech and Hearing FMCOSH hosts 3-day National Seminar ‘FOCUS-1

Focusing on Speech & Hearing Father Muller College of Speech and Hearing (FMCOSH)-Mangaluru hosts 3-day National Seminar ‘FOCUS-1

Mangaluru: “Damn it, can you hear me now”? “For Heaven’s Sake speak out”? – these are some of the rude comments people make when they interact with people who are deaf and dumb- but actually in reality not knowing the people that they were interacting were deaf and dumb. That is the sad situation that the deaf and dumb people face in their lives while living in the society. Yes, communication is an integral instinct of all living things. Our ability to communicate in so many modes is unique to humans on earth. The loss of one or two senses certainly can impair communication, but it does not have to stop communication.

Therefore, at Father Muller College of Speech and Hearing, Mangaluru accredited with NAAC, aims at providing quality service and higher standards in education; and continuing Rehabilitation Education (CRE) is one of such endeavour through which it attains its aim and objectives. the field of speech, language pathology and audiology is dedicated to the understanding of normal communication and hearing processes, the application of that knowledge to the identification, treatment, and prevention of communication disorders in children and adults. Speech, language pathologists and audiologists provide a range of services, which includes both assessment and management of communication disorders and also, play a major role in public awareness and prevention of these disorders.

And for the FIRST time FMCOSH has organized a National Seminar on Speech & Hearing named “FOCUS-1”, a three-day seminar held from 28-30 March 2019 at the FMMC Decennial Hall. Nearly 250 participants from Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and other places are taking part in this 3-day Seminar. The Seminar will feature brainstorming inputs on vestibular assessments, trends in hearing aid technology, opportunities and challenges in Audiology private practice, tele-speech therapy, service delivery and professional issues in speech language therapy – private practice, voice analysis, and Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) will be delivered by expertise from abroad and India. There will also be hands on experience on Hearing Aids, Vestibular assessment and Stroboscopy will be dealt during the seminar.

The FOCUS-1 seminar aims in delivering knowledge in recent concepts of Audiology and Speech language pathology topics. The emerging trends in the field is clubbed together in FOCUS to impart knowledge in the field of speech and hearing with reference to diagnostic aspects and rehabilitative measures for clinical practice. The Seminar is organized in order to enhance the knowledge of various new developments in the field of speech and hearing; To gain skills in rehabilitation of Autistic children using applied behavior analysis; and To acquire skills of setting up own private practice.

The Seminar began with invoking God’s blessings through a prayer song by the students of FMCOSH, followed by welcome address by Prof. Akhilesh P M- Principal of FMCOSH and Chairperson of the Seminar. The Seminar was inaugurated by lighting the traditional lamp by Chief Guest Rev Fr Rudolph Ravi D’sa- Administrator, Father Muller Medical College Hospital, along with Rev Fr Richard Aloysius Coelho- Director of Father Muller Charitable Institutions, Prof. Akhilesh P M and Dr Santhosh Kumar- Organizing Secretary.

Addressing the audience, Fr Rudolph D’sa said, “This young FMCOSH started not long ago is already reaching greater heights in such a short period of time. When people use the words Deaf and Dumb, they are kind of rude words. It’s a pity to see people with hearing and speech disabilities when trying to interact among other people, they face lots of hurdles and hardship. But a man with a mission can help these disabled people. One who has desire and ambition surely have a scope. You need skills for your professional practice. Just a degree is not enough, but thorough knowledge is”.

He further said, “You need to have ability to diagnosis, treatment and other duties as a professional Speech and Hearing specialist. You need to have willingness to help others, then only it will be a good hearted profession. You need to keep in pace with the new technology and update your knowledge. This Seminar will surely help you to upgrade yourself in the current knowledge/statistics and your profession. Make the best use of the 3-day seminar, where you will receive informative lessons from eminent speakers from abroad and India”.

In his presidential address, Rev Fr Richard Coelho said, “I compliment FMCOSH for their initiative in organizing FOCUS-1 to educate on Speech and Hearing issues. We should be grateful to God for giving us good health, good sight and proper hearing, etc. But there are quite a few people who are not lucky, who are either deaf or dumb. People with such disabilities face hardships to live in the society. But we need to have empathy towards such people with disabilities. It’s nice to note that Speech and Hearing has grown into a science today- where we have audiologists, and speech language pathologists”.

Fr Coelho further said, “At FMCOSH we are trying to upgrade with latest equipment and other modern facilities. We have also applied to get permission to start M Sc in Audiology and Speech Pathology, and we are confident that we will get it. To be a goof professional we need to learn and get trained a lot, and upgrade ourselves on current trends of Speech and Hearing. Also need to have passion towards the profession, and not just take up that profession because someone told you to do so. These days we see many unethical practices going on in health care sector. We need to stay away from unethical practices, and show our empathy to the suffering. Healing is God’s mission, and so follow in that mission and be a professional in your field”.

The vote of thanks was proposed by Dr Santhosh Kumar, and the inaugural function was compered by Miss Gwendelen D’souza and Amith Thomas, bot interns at FMCOSH. Following the inaugural session, there was the First session on “Clinical Approach to a patient with Dizziness and Vertigo ( Vestibular Assessment), a live session via audio video presentation from Italy by Dr Francisco Dispenza, and moderated here by Dr Gautham Kulamarva- renowned ENT from Mangaluru.

Other topics during the 3-day seminar are   Opportunities and Challenges for audiology Private Practice by Prof Akhilesh PM and Dr Vikranth Patil; Vertigo assessment by Dr Sujeeth K S; Vestibular Assessment by S N Badrinath; Vestibular Rehabilitation by Dr Pranesh Rao; Trends in Hearing aid technology by International speaker George N; Tele Speech Therapy by Ms Pratiksha Gupta and International speaker Ms Tracy Sippi (USA); Service delivery and professional issues in speech language therapy private practice by Ms Soumya Menon; Voice assessment by Dr Gautham K and Dr B Rajashekaha; Applkied Behaviour Analysis by Dr Radhika Poovaiah; and Hands on training on Vestibular Assessment and Stroboscopy by Dr Pranesh Rao, Prof Akhilesh, Dr Aju A, Dr Gautham K, Dr Santhosh K and Ms Cynthia Santhmayor.

The inaugural programme was also graced by Fr Ajith Menezes- Administrator FMMC, Fr Peter Noronha- former Director FMCI, Dean Dr Jayaprakash Alva, Vice Dean Dr Padmaja Udayakumar, Research Chief FMMC Dr Sanjeev Rai, Ms Cynthia Santhumayor- Assistant Professor FMCOSH, among many others.

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