GANAPATHY SANKAR
@srmist.edu.in
Professor, Medicine & Health Sciences
Dean, Others
SRM Institute of Science and Technology
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Occupational Therapy
Master of Occupational Therapy
Ph.D in Occupational Therapy
RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS
Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation, Health Professions, Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health
Scopus Publications
Scholar Citations
Scholar h-index
Scholar i10-index
Scopus Publications
Ganapathy Sankar U and Monisha R
GP Innovations Pvt. Ltd.
Worldwide the prevalence reports documented that nearly 40 million people needed palliative care, but only 10% of the population receives palliative care treatment. Many have asked for the palliative care, but only a few receive it. It requires a team of professional to deliver good quality palliative support and care for the people who required it. It doesn't aim to cure any particular set of symptoms, but it aims at the quality of life of the people who were at the end of their life. It supports them physically as well as psychologically. Majority of the researchers in occupational therapy were aimed at analyzing the impact of intervention over the patients in palliative care. But there is a need to examine what patients in palliative care want to prioritize. The review aims to explore the needs of patients in palliative care, which are considered vital for them. The review was conducted with the specific criteria of articles selected from the year 2018 to 2020. Articles which were published in the English language were analyzed, and participants of age greater than 20 years were focused, and their experience was documented. Twenty articles were selected, and all these articles were used one to one interview method. The concept of "occupational therapy and its importance for people at the end of their life” is identified. The study concludes that continued occupational therapy is vital for everybody in palliative care.
Ganapathy Sankar U and Monisha R
GP Innovations Pvt. Ltd.
Children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) experiences difficulty in performing coordinated movement task as there is a defect in the internal of movements. The of DCD has been examined in several studies which reveal several viable hypotheses including reduced processing speed, problems in executive functioning, poor cross-model integration and low perceptual-motor coupling. Researchers well documented that the predictive control of movements is impaired in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), it was examined that impaired control of movements was due to a deficit in the internal of movements. Motor imagery training has been used to test this internal deficit. Motor imagery training is useful for children with DCD as it focuses on internal of movements. The current study aims to examine the effectiveness of Motor imagery training focused on mental imagery task to enhance the movement coordination abilities of children with DCD. By random sampling, 20 children with DCD were randomly divided into two groups, Group A received MI training, and Group B received COOP- Cognitive orientation to daily occupational performance. Both groups received intervention for nine sessions of 45 minutes. The results provided by the current study will help to describe treatment protocol for children with DCD with evidence. Both children and therapist will be benefited from the study.
Ganapathy Sankar U and Monisha R
GP Innovations Pvt. Ltd.
Developmental Co-ordination Disorder will have an impact in the gross motor, and the fine motor co-ordination of daily living activities of children and the academic performance of children with Developmental Co-ordination Disorder is low due to handwriting difficulty. There are also deficits in reading skills, working memory skills and mathematical skills. There may be problems associated with psychosocial aspects in relationship with peers and socialisation, low self-esteem, anxiety and low mood. The DCD prevalence in the United States is 5-8%, 5.6% in Egypt, 5.7% in Greek and 1.8% in the United Kingdom and 5.9% in Canada, 30% in Brazil and India it is found to be 1.6% in West India, 21.6% in Karnataka. In Tamil Nadu at Kattupakkam, it was found to be 3.22%, and Kattankulathur had 1.37%. Since there is no evidence of DCD prevalence in Primary schools at Tamil Nadu, the current study aims at finding the prevalence of DCD among primary school children at Kancheepuram. This Survey, with a cross-sectional study, was initiated. Two hundred children participated in the study. The Developmental Co-ordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ) was used to identify DCD in primary school children at Kancheepuram. Seventy children were identified as DCD, and it revealed that the prevalence rate was 120.20 in 1000 children. The prevalence estimate was high in boys than in girls. There is a prevailing estimate of 120.20 in 1000 children of Developmental co-ordination disorder between the age group of 5 and 11 years exists among primary schools at Kancheepuram. The study concluded the need for early identification and intervention to promote awareness among parents and teachers in a school setting about developmental co-ordination disorder.
Ganapathy Sankar U and Monisha R
GP Innovations Pvt. Ltd.
A characteristic hallmark motor in proficiency marks developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Children with DCD have low confidence in their physical abilities and lower perceived self-efficacy toward physical activities than their age-matched peer-group children without DCD. The study aims to evaluate aerobic fitness among children diagnosed with Developmental Coordination Disorder and to examine whether their lies any individual differences among children, who were suspects of DCD. Twenty children were enrolled in after baseline examination as DCD using DCDQ. Each child completed 6 Minute Walk test and Children’s Self-perception of Adequacy in and the predilection for Physical Activity (CSAPPA). When considering the individual differences among children with DCD, there occurs a different result and cardiovascular fitness trend in children with DCD. Fitness is related to the self-perception of ability among children. This study provides evidence that self-perception ability among children is an essential component that needs to be considered when planning therapeutic intervention to enhance cardiovascular fitness in children with DCD.
Ganapathy Sankar U and Monisha R
GP Innovations Pvt. Ltd.
Living with cancer can have adverse effects on the self. Various factors affect the person self in daily life. It is well documented that encouragement can provide hope and engagement for a person with cancer to engage in his activities of daily living. The support of family and friends helps the persons to lead his life along with the illness. Cancer rehabilitation is a rapidly evolving field all over the world, in large part because of increases in the number of cancer survivors. Everybody wishes to restore the function as resume their lives as usual. Few argue with the rehabilitation experts that treatment options differ from country to country, and does it affect the survival rate? Little research is done to explore how the self of the person suffering in advanced stages of cancer, and we aim to evaluate how people with cancer experience their sense of self. Thirty interviews were conducted with ten patients with advanced cancer, and grounded theory approach was used for statistical evaluation of data. Accepting self and reassessing self was the result of engaging the person in a specific occupation, which is considered to have a core in rehabilitating the person with advanced cancer. Engagement towards occupation influence the self of a person with advanced cancer.
Ganapathy Sankar U and Monisha R
GP Innovations Pvt. Ltd.
Autism is prevalent among primary school children, and these children exhibit difficulty in communication. They have reduced communication skills, problems with social relationship, especially they experience isolation by their family members, and they have persistence of stereotyped behaviours and have low social development. Children experience a high incidence of intellectual disability. We aim to estimate the prevalence rate of autism among children with a developmental disability. 50 children who have been diagnosed and underwent treatment for their intellectual disability were screened and assessed by direct observation method. Initially, every child was screened by using the DSM criteria for autism with the help of the caregivers and teachers as well as other therapists who previously treated children were also included selectively. The children after the screening programme, if found be diagnosed as autism in DSM criteria were reevaluated with the checklist appropriate for their age grouped. Indian Scale for Assessment of Autism was used to screen autism children. After the baseline assessment, the researcher collected the data and results were analyzed. Results conclude that 20 children out of the 50 children were found to have autism and the prevalence estimated as 40% among children’s in Kancheepuram district. We conclude that prevalence of children with autism was considerable increasing and these children were prevalent among children with other pervasive developmental disorder and especially the prevalence was high in children with mental retardation and the study highlights that all children with intellectual disability must be screened for autism.
Ganapathy Sankar U and Monisha R
GP Innovations Pvt. Ltd.
Where there are few occupational therapists in regular practice, and an educational psychologist and special educators conducted the majority of the assessment procedure and evaluation of children with visual-motor integration (VMI). They consider assessing children with VMI as similar to the assessment of children with research instruments, and the availability of the trained occupational therapist was limited. VMI is generally expressed as the ability of the child to integrate visual perception input and to coordinate it with limb movements for the execution of motor activities in sequential order. A child with impaired VMI skills fails to execute motor- based activity. We evaluated the visual-motor integration (VMI) in children with and without reading disabilities (RDs) in the primary schools of Mudichur. Full Range Test of Visual-Motor Integration (FRTVMI) was used to evaluate the visual-motor integration among children. A total of 20 children recruited from primary schools in Mudichur. Every parent of the children gave the willingness to participate in the study; 10 children were already diagnosed as having RDs, whereas the remaining 10 children were age-matched typically developing children. The results indicated that children with reading disability scored poor on the FRTVMI than the typically developing age-matched peer-group children. The results support the impairment in visual-motor integration is strongly related to learning disabilities, and the therapist should educate teachers of primary schools to refer children with learning disabilities. However, there is a need for strong assessment among children’s to quantify their skills in reading and writing, and it is vital to diagnose children in the early years to avoid academic failures. Teachers were in need to be educated to refer children are who are suspected of being at risk for RDs in school settings.
Ganapathy Sankar U and Monisha R
GP Innovations Pvt. Ltd.
Participation restriction in sports and academic activities, which results from difficulties in performing all the activities of daily living in children with DCD. We aim to analyze the effects of cognitive orientation on occupational performance using COOP approach and to examine the transfer skills exhibited by children with DCD. Pre and post test design is adapted in the current study. Total of 8 girls aged 5-10 years were included in the study. Children participated in 12 COOP sessions at least twice a week and a trial session is delivered to all the children participated in the study, in order to gain orientation towards the protocol adapted in the study. COOP measure and performance quality rating scale were used as a outcome measure and in the perspectives of the evaluator all the children had attained a statistically and clinically significant improvement and 5 girls were able to transfer the learnt skill in many tasks which is new. This study adds evidence that COOP approach can be implemented in all the pediatric therapy centers in India.
Ganapathy Sankar U and Monisha R
GP Innovations Pvt. Ltd.
Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is characterized by marked impairment in the acquisition of motor skill. The poor performance of movement skills marks developmental coordination disorder (DCD), and this defect affects the child's activities of daily living in innumerous ways. The ability of the child in the execution of the motor task is substantially below that expected for a child's chronological age and intelligence. DCD affects the child's ability in performing both gross and fine motor skills. Performing the Variety of motor tasks is impaired, and the child is isolated socially and emotionally. These children experience frequent academic failure because of their poor handwriting skill. Despite having IQ more significant than 70, these children experience academic failure. As because of their motor coordination difficulty, these children avoid peer group interaction. They were termed as clumsy and awkward, by their teachers and often by their peer group. Thus they were avoided by their peer group children. This recurrent isolation becomes permanent for children with DCD, and they tend to isolate themselves from everybody. As they become isolated, these children are more prone to psychological distress. As because of poor social interaction and participation in green land play along with peer group children, they were at high risk for obesity and other related disorders. Awareness of the importance of participation in a physical activity needs to be delivered for all the parents of children with and without DCD. Benefits of green land play need to be understood by the parents for further facilitation of children's engagement in physical activity sessions.
Ganapathy Sankar U and Monisha R
GP Innovations Pvt. Ltd.
Developmental coordination disorder is gaining increased recognition among the researchers. Despite a high prevalence rate, the uncoordinated movements and performance difficulties in daily life activities in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder were gained increased recognition. Caregivers and parents were not aware of any such intervention and waste a lot of time and money over therapist and therapy, which are not appropriate for their children with DCD. NTT- Neuro-motor Task Training relies on motor control and motor learning. Treatment of each child with DCD requires a unique holistic approach, to examine the effects of NTT among Indian children with DCD, this pilot study was conducted in 10 children with developmental coordination disorder. Movement assessment battery for children was used to assess the gross and fine motor difficulties among children with DCD. NTT intervention was delivered for ten sessions. The total duration of the intervention is 30 minutes. Positive effects of NTT were reported in every child in the intervention group. Their performance enhanced in gross motor and fine motor task. MABC and TGMD-2 results were improvements following the intervention, and the present findings indicate that therapists can take children's behaviour into account to conclude the positive treatment effects of NTT.
Ganapathy Sankar U and Monisha R
GP Innovations Pvt. Ltd.
Rehabilitating the children and moving them away from impairment and focusing them towards changing body’s function and structuring the body will change the disablement and enhance the quality of life. Life’s quality is not a single component to attain and aim for, it is a multidimensional measure which aims to capture the subjective perception of well being for the child. The current study examines child and parents perspectives of life quality in children with and without developmental coordination disorder. Data was collected using KIDSCREEN-27. For child with DCD in group A total of 10 children and 10 parents were included and in control group in Group B, a total of 12 children and 10 parents were examined. Life quality dimensions were examined in 5 domains and children with DCD lies in a average range on all life quality domains and dimensions examined. On comparing parents and children with DCD, Children had higher score in physical impairment domain and parents considered that environmental steerers and personal habits negatively impact the child’s life quality. Children with DCD had poor life quality when compared with Peer group children.
Ganapathy Sankar U and Monisha R
GP Innovations Pvt. Ltd.
Motor task execution capability again included in the writing task. The ability of the child to copy down the letters from the blackboard and the ability to listen to the dictated word and coordinate the writing task along with the listening task to complete the note-taking process. Lack of motor task execution capability will exclude the child from green land play. Playing demands attention skill as well as motor co-ordination. We aimed to compare the level of attention among children with and without DCD during their functional activities that demand motor performance. Ten children with and without DCD were included in the study. Their motor performance was assessed with the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC), and a self-reported questionnaire evaluated attention during the tasks of the MABC. All children with DCD had higher MABC impairment scores and lower attention scores than their peers. It has been documented that children with DCD were less attentive to movements than their peers, and the positive reinforcement can modulate their performance by the parents or therapist.
Ganapathy Sankar U and Monisha R
GP Innovations Pvt. Ltd.
Dysgraphia and difficulty in activities of daily living skill are well documented in the research database as impairments affecting children with developmental coordination disorder. Pinch and grip strength has a predominant role in various activities of daily living skills, and a child can fulfil the playing skill only with good pinch and grip strength. To estimate hand strength evolution difference in children with developmental coordination disorder and to analyze the correlations in grip and pinch strength, handwriting and its components, and activities of daily living skills in children with and without developmental coordination disorder. Twenty children were selected and assigned into two groups, typically developing children and children with DCD. Each child was evaluated with pinch and grip strength, handwriting speed and legibility, pencil grip, and levels of performance in functional skills. When considering the strength development pattern, there exists a similar trend in children with and without DCD. Grip strength is having a perfect correlation with pencil control in both children with and without DCD. Handwriting is poor in the children with DCD but not in children without DCD. This study provides evidence that grip and pinch strength are important components when considering therapeutic intervention for enhancing handwriting skill in children with DCD.
Ganapathy Sankar U and Monisha R
GP Innovations Pvt. Ltd.
Developmental coordination disorder (DCD),is a vastly reported disorder with a prevalence estimated of 7-8% in children aged 5 to 10 years. There is a false perception of parents of children with DCD that their children will come out of the motor coordination defects as they age (Adults). This false perception affects the child directly, and they will not outgrow of the problem, however, becomes socially isolated. Motor difficulties reported in children with DCD are heterogeneous. When the HRQOL focuses on children's, it is mandatory to include the domains that elaborate the illness, mental health aspects, comfort ability of the child and also the effects on their parents. The study aims to evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among parents of children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Thirty parents of children with and without DCD were enrolled in the study and HRQOL of the parents was examined using the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). When considering the HRQOL among parents of children with and without DCD, there occur different results among father and mother. However, parents of children with DCD had significantly lower HRQOL (p < .05). This study provides evidence that DCD significantly affects multiple HRQOL domains among the parents of children with DCD.
Ganapathy Sankar U and Monisha R
GP Innovations Pvt. Ltd.
Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is identified as a heterogeneous disorder of motor learning and functioning. Children with DCD avoid physical activities in school as because of low self-esteem; they perceive themselves less capable and avoids peer group interactions at school. They tend to isolate themselves from an academic task as well as from physical activity sessions. Neuromotor task training and WII training are task-based interventions designed to enhance motor performance among children with developmental coordination disorder. Aim of the study is to compare the effectiveness of two task-oriented interventions like NTT and WII on motor performance, isometric strength, the aerobic and anaerobic capacity of children with DCD attending primary schools in and around Chennai. Children of age 5-10 years were included and randomly assigned into two groups, Group A and B. Developmental coordination disorder questionnaire- DCDQ was used to screen children with DCD at the baseline. Dynamometer, functional strength assessment, sprint test and 6MWT – 6-minute walk test was used to assess the performance of children with DCD at baseline and after intervention with NTT and WII. Results of the study proved that no significant improvement was reported in both the groups for isometric strength development. However, the Motor performance was enhanced in group A treated with NTT. Wii training showed improvement in anaerobic performance. The study concludes by adding knowledge that both the interventions were safe to execute for children with developmental coordination disorder.
Ganapathy Sankar U and Monisha R
GP Innovations Pvt. Ltd.
A Child with developmental coordination disorder will have a higher incidence of movement difficulties and challenges to participate in activities of daily living. There is no exploration of the Gait pattern and the quality of movement exhibited by children’s of developmental coordination disorder in Tamilnadu context. Children's of age 5 to 10 years were included, and after baseline screening with Diagnostic and statistical manual for mental disorder-5 criteria, children were allowed for further examination. MABC-2 and DCDQ were used to screen and rate the movement skill. Of the total sample of 100, 80% exhibited difficulties in Gait initiation, progression and integration of motor skills. Results proved that sensory integration difficulties experienced by the children with DCD were not related to motor coordination. One hundred children included in the study experiences difficulties in participation with a peer group, awareness of body position sense, balance, and activity integration and planning. The current study concludes and adds evidence that each child with DCD is unique but presented with difficulties in gait initiation and integration.
Ganapathy Sankar U and Monisha R
GP Innovations Pvt. Ltd.
Air pollution is regarded as a significant global public health risk factor in cities around the world. It is considered as one of the highest-ranking environmental health challenges in the world, particularly in developing countries like India. Air pollution is a significant risk factor for the development of various lung disorders. World Health Organization (WHO) defined air pollution as the impurity in the environment in and around by the physical, chemical, or biological agent, which has changed the natural characteristics of the atmosphere. The environmental factors related to air pollution induces the risk of allergic asthmatic reaction and emergency intervention. According to the respiratory health investigation people who are exposed to vehicular pollution for a longer duration, are in a risk to develop asthma. The air pollutants rates were measured by using the application real-time air quality index in which the air quality rate is evaluated. We piloted ten children with DCD of age about 5 - 10 years were analysed with wrights’ peak flow meter. Results of the study predicted that there is a decrease in peak expiratory flow rate with the predicted value (.000) and increase in the shortness of breath questionnaire with the predicted value (.077) on comparing over air quality index. This study concludes that there is an impact of air pollution among children with DCD.
Ganapathy Sankar U and Monisha R
GP Innovations Pvt. Ltd.
Developmental coordination disorder is marked by difficulty in participation in sports as well as in academic activities; they experience difficulty in planning any event, sequencings and implementing any motor tasks. Women engaged in employment as well as responsible for children with motor impairment were referred to as a sandwich generation. 5% of women were found to have a dual-role and it is expected that it is more common among urban localities. They experience difficulty in balancing work as well as home, and it is expected that they experience low quality of life. Literature review over the past ten years resulted with inconclusive evidence, and no documents exist in considering the role on balance outcomes for working sandwich generation women with a Developmental Coordination Disorder child. The aim of the current study was attained by the use of a questionnaire to 20 mothers in Kancheepuram district, and they should full fill the criteria as a working sandwich generation women. Data were summarized, and descriptive statistics, as well as correlation coefficient, was used to find out that they experience neither balance nor imbalance in their quality of life. It has been concluded that between role conflict and role interaction were the factors affecting role balance.
Ganapathy Sankar U and Monisha R
GP Innovations Pvt. Ltd.
Developmental coordination disorder is termed as a motor functioning disorder and it shows a major impact on motor learning and functioning. The aim of the current research is to have a critical analysis of the developmental coordination disorder using ICF model. However DCD is identified by functional limitations, there are associated factors which were left unattended. We discuss the participation restriction, body function and structural defects and other contextual factors associated with DCD. It has been highlighted that primary and secondary defects associated with developmental coordination disorder among children is due to the factors which depends on the cognitive and neurological structures. Personal and environmental factors associated play a major role in motor learning and acquisition. To design intervention for individual adult and children with developmental coordination disorder, there is need for consideration of the multiple interacting factors associated with developmental coordination disorder and understanding the primary and secondary factors that deteriorate the health of children with DCD needs attention. Psychological impairment is the factors which are identified at the front line. However while designing intervention sessions, there is a need to consider the psychosocial aspect of the individual with DCD.
Ganapathy Sankar U and Monisha R
GP Innovations Pvt. Ltd.
Developmental coordination disorder is a term that refers to a Motor coordination disorder manifested by significant unexpected, specific and persistent difficulties in the acquisition and use of practical motor skills, which is most needed for academic performance among primary school children with DCD. This current research aims to determine the effectiveness of visual memory training in children with DCD- Developmental coordination disorder. Ten children with DCD (N=10) were recruited from the year 2016 June to December 2016 through convenient sampling. DCDQ was used to include the children in the study. Children were enrolled in a visual memory training programme of 24 sessions, one hour per session continued for thrice a week for eight weeks. Visual memory training revealed statistical significance on reading, visual memory and reading comprehension skills (t= -4.346; p<0.05; t= -3.356, p<0.05 and t= - 5.265, p<0.05 respectively) and also suggested a statistically significant difference and the association between reading skills, visual memory skills and comprehension skills (F=20.234, p= 0.000). The study concluded that visual memory training had a significant effect on visual memory skills which have an impact on academic performance.
Ganapathy Sankar U and Monisha R
GP Innovations Pvt. Ltd.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is the leading cause of death and disability in India. The study aims to evaluate the effects of CSC- COPD Sitting Calisthenics on exercise capacity, symptoms and quality of life. Twenty-five patients with COPD admitted in SRM Medical college hospital, and research centre (Department of respiratory medicine) were included in the study. After calculating the samples of 25 with excluding one drop outpatient, randomly assigned 12 patients in each group, group A (n = 12), group B (n = 12) and the patients in two groups received five sessions of intervention (CSC and CET) in the hospital stay. The results indicate that there is a significant improvement in exercise capacity in callisthenics group on day 5 (P &lt; 0.001). There was no significant difference found for modified Borg's scale on day 5 in callisthenics group. QOL showed a statistically significant difference in Group A, and the current study concludes that callisthenics is effective in improving exercise capacity and QOL in patients diagnosed with COPD.
Amanda Aguiar Valverdea, Clarice Ribeiro Soares Araújoa, Lívia de Castro Magalhãesa and Ana Amélia Cardosoa
SynthesisHub Advance Scientific Research
This study aimed to examine the visual-motor integration and manual dexterity skills in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). A cross-sectional descriptive study of 22 children aged 7 to 11 years old with DCD, assessed with the Brazilian version of the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ-Brazil), Movement Assessment Battery for Children Second Edition (MABC-2) and Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration Sixth Edition (VMI). Four girls and 18 boys participated. Considering the 25th percentile in VMI as the cutoff point, 12 children presented a below-average performance in the visualmotor integration domain, 13 in the visual domain, and 19 in the motor coordination domain. We observed a statistically significant correlation between the motor dexterity and the total MABC-2 percentiles, but not between the MABC-2 percentiles and the different domains evaluated with the VMI. The results suggest that the combined use of tests for better assessment of children with DCD is needed and important to detect their real difficulties in both visuomotor integration and manual dexterity and their implications on the performance of children's daily activities.