CEO Insights India

As we embark on the journey of healthcare, one concern shines brightly: the health of our precious little ones. Pediatrics, the specialized field of healthcare, dedicatedly focuses on the well-being of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. Dr. Lalit Mittal, a renowned Neurodevelopmental pediatrician at Gigglesclinics, exemplifies an unwavering commitment to excellence and a deep-seated passion for nurturing the lives of young patients.

In a candid interview with us, Dr. Lalit Mittal shared his journey, including the challenges he has overcome and the diverse experiences he has had in the healthcare field.

Can you provide a concise summary of your career path and experiences?
I started my professional journey in 2002 and completed my MBBS in 2007. I pursued post-graduation in pediatrics, a degree from the Diplomate of National Board, and specialized training in neuro-developmental pediatrics from the British Pediatric Neurology Association. With a special interest in autism, I obtained board certification in neurodiversity as a certified autism specialist. Currently, I serve as a pediatrician and Neuro developmental pediatrician and hold the position of Director and Founder of Gigglesclinics and Co-director of My Own Space A nurturing center for Special Needs Children, established in 2019. Over the past four years, we have connected with 500+ families across India through webinars, seminars, and workshops for parents and professionals. Also, some of my other notable professional recognitions are training in advanced gut microbiota, post-graduate training in Pediatric Nutrition (Boston University), and International Training in Preterm Nutrition.

Can you share insights on your leadership style and the guiding principles that have contributed to your success in your professional journey?
In my view, the pillars of successful leadership and achievement in our

field are unwavering determination, relentless hard work and skillful counseling. Building a strong rapport with parents is paramount. I understand that it requires investing time and effort in actively listening to their concerns, understanding their perspectives, and addressing their fears with empathy and compassion. By nurturing trust and fostering effective communication, we can pave the way for positive outcomes and impactful leadership in pediatric healthcare. Effective communication is my key to success in pediatrics. I prioritize counseling parents and listening to their concerns, especially for conditions like autism or ADHD. Acceptance doesn’t come easily. There might be a lot of questions and dilemmas in parents' minds, why my child is behaving like this? Is it normal or abnormal? By building trust and understanding, we work together to find the best solutions for their child's well-being and help in planning their unplanned and challenging journey.

Can you elaborate on the role and position of Gigglesclinics as a healthcare service provider?
At Gigglesclinics, which I founded in 2019, my role as a healthcare service provider is to create a nurturing environment for special needs children, particularly those with conditions like autism, ADHD, and developmental delays. I have a team of highly qualified professionals, including speech therapists, oral placement therapists, occupational therapists, certified autism specialists, and cognitive behavioral therapists. I follow evidence-based practices and am proud to be one of the first centers in north India to offer a safe and sound protocol – A type of music intervention for auditory issues commonly seen in children with autism.

How do you assist parents in understanding and making informed decisions about their child's health?
As a healthcare professional, I specialize in guiding parents to understand and make informed decisions about their child's health, particularly in cases of autism as the prevalence of it has increased 4 times in the last 3 to 4 decades. I have developed a unique book

called ‘Visual Cues for Autism’ which provides visual illustrations to help parents better understand their child's behavior, communication, social interactions, and environmental sensitivity. This book has been published under my guidance and has been successful in helping parents gain a clearer understanding of their child's condition and also for clinicians as a counseling tool for explaining the core symptoms to parents in their busy clinical practice.

What medical practices do you implement in your clinic that set you apart from other child healthcare providers in the industry?
In our clinic, we use rationale and evidence based approaches to address sensory, behavior, communication, and associated co-morbid conditions like gut problems and anxiety issues in neuro diverse children. We have a very experienced Oral Placement therapist whose work has shown positive results, even for nonverbal children coming to us for the first time at the age of 5 to 6 years who were using communication apps earlier.

How do you envision your future direction in the coming years? What plans and goals do you have for your future roadmap?
We conduct regular parent and professional training programs to educate parents and professionals respectively about neuro diverse problems. We provide parent and professional training to use tools like CARS (Childhood Autistic Rating Scale) for the diagnosis and management of these problems in their clinical practice. Counseling is crucial, so we emphasize giving parents adequate time.

Dr. Lalit Mittal, Neurodevelopmental Paediatrician, Gigglesclinics
Dr. Lalit Mittal demonstrates an unyielding dedication to providing exceptional care and a profound passion for enriching the lives of his young patients.

•Hobbies: Playing sports such as cricket, badminton and lawn tennis
•Favourite Cuisine:South Indian
•Favourite Book:The Big Book
•Favorite Travel Destination: Visiting Islands
•Awards: Certificate of Excellence service award in the field of Neurodiversity at INSO conference, Pondicherry 2023
•Article Published:OPT – A novel approach in addressing Lead metal Toxicity in Autistic children A randomized controlled
trial.
•Books Published:A concise Textbook on Review of Evidence based Biomedical Interventions in Autism