Making progress together

When 11-year-old Aryan first started schooling at Rainbow Centre four years ago, he struggled with communicating and participating in class.

- 

He was diagnosed with speech delay when he was three years old, his mother Rashinah Umat, 54, shares.

Today, Aryan "understands and even tells us what he wants", says the homemaker. He is also learning to better manage his emotions.

The transformation was partly due to the close collaboration between his occupational therapist Lim Yu Jie, his teacher Raja Rajeshwari and his parents.

Through careful observation and teamwork, they discovered that sensory regulation was key to helping Aryan manage his emotions. A body sock, pressure massage, or simply sipping cold water can help calm him down.