Suma is dedicated to cultivating relationships, making informed decisions, and ensuring tailored interventions for successful outcomes. She holds a Master’s in Clinical Child Development.

Suma's career began in 2009, engaging in various child and adolescent projects. Over the years, she gained valuable experience conducting training programs and medical camps aimed at identifying developmental disabilities within rural populations. A significant milestone was her role as a developmental therapist in a reputable hospital in India, where she established a child developmental clinic for high-risk babies in 2010, launching an early stimulation program for newborns in the NICU. In 2014, she embarked on a new chapter in Dubai, UAE, starting her journey with Blue Sky Management. In 2018, she rekindled her professional journey as a Developmental Therapist at ATF Learning Difficulties Center, earning a promotion to Center Manager within six months. In this role, she provided ABA therapy, sensory integration, and language training for children with developmental disorders, achieving transformative results.

Education:

• Master of Health Science in Clinical Child Development (2014).
• Post Graduate Diploma In Clinical Child Development (2009) Certification.
• Registered Behavior Technician certification from BACB, 2022 (ID: RBT-22-246103) ABA Foundation Course, 2019 (KHDA accredited, 20 hours).

Certifications:

• Registered Behavior Technician certification from BACB, 2022 (ID: RBT-22-246103).
• ABA Foundation Course, 2019 (KHDA accredited, 20 hours).

Professional Experience:

1. Senior Developmental Therapist/Center Manager: (ATF Learning Difficulties Center, Dubai, UAE. 2018 – Present). Suma played a pivotal role in providing transformative services for children with developmental disorders, aged 2-24 years, utilizing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and developmental interventions. She delivered ABA therapy, sensory integration, and language training in both individual and group settings, resulting in remarkable success stories of students seamlessly transitioning to school settings and achieving heightened levels of independence.

2. Developmental Therapist: (Blue Sky Management of Support Services, UAE Dec 2014 - Mar 2015). Dedicating herself to providing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy and language enrichment to children aged 3-8 years with Autism, Suma focused on fostering significant improvements in communication and behavior skills, contributing to the overall development and well-being of each child.

3. Child Developmental Therapist: (Sri Ramachandra Medical Center & Research Institute, India 2010 - 2014). Suma played a pivotal role in establishing and nurturing the clinic from its inception, transforming it into one of the most reliable and sought-after centers in the state. Her key accomplishments included strategic development, client base expansion, initiation of an early stimulation program for high-risk babies, early detection of developmental disorders, collaboration with medical professionals, and active participation in ongoing research work.

4. Developmental Therapist: (Child Development Center, Kerala, India. Jun 2009 - Nov 2010) Passionate about community-driven healthcare, Suma organized and executed impactful medical camps for children and adolescents, contributing to early detection and intervention in various health domains. She orchestrated comprehensive medical camps, developed community rehabilitation modules, conducted training programs for community workers, validated developmental screenings, and provided community-based rehabilitation counseling.

• Played a pivotal role in the development of modules for community rehabilitation referral units, with a specific focus on addressing developmental disabilities.
• Worked collaboratively to create tailored resources that enhance the effectiveness of community-based rehabilitation initiatives.
• Conducted targeted training programs for community workers, equipping them with the skills and knowledge to administer screening tests for children.
• Empowered community workers to play an active role in early detection and intervention, fostering a proactive healthcare approach.
• Part of Anganwadi-based community validation of Trivandrum Developmental Screening Chart (TDSC) against the Denver Development Screening Test (DDST-I) for children aged 0-6 years.
• Conducted a similar validation for the Language Evaluation Scale Trivandrum (LEST) against the Receptive Expressive Emergent Language Scale (REELS).
• Provided community-based rehabilitation counseling at newly established Child Development Referral Units in Taluk hospitals, utilizing customized modules for developmental disabilities.

Publications:

Suma Riaz has made significant contributions to research, with publications covering various aspects of child development and mental health.

• ADad 2: The Validation of the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders for. Anxiety Disorders Among Adolescents in a Rural Community Population in India. Indian J Pediatrics. Oct 12, 2013.

Link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12098-013-1233-2

• Adad 4: The Symptomatology and Clinical Presentation of Anxiety Disorders Among Adolescents in a Rural Community Population in India. Indian J Pediatrics. Sep 24, 2013.

Link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12098-013-1234-1

• Adad 3: The Epidemiology of Anxiety Disorders Among Adolescents in a Rural Community Population in India. Indian J Pediatrics. Sep 18, 2013.

Link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12098-013-1097-5

• Development and Validation of Trivandrum Development Screening Chart for Children Aged 0-6 years [TDSC (0-6)]. Indian J Pediatrics. Sep 8, 2013.

Link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12098-013-1144-2

• ADad 6: the predictive factors for Anxiety Disorders among adolescents in a rural community population in India. Indian journal of Pediatrics. Oct 5, 2013.

Link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12098-013-1231-4

• ADad 5: The Co-morbidity in Anxiety Disorders Among Adolescents in a Rural Community Population in India. Indian Journal of Pediatrics. Sep 2013.

Link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12098-013-1207-4

• ADad 7: Relationship Between Depression and Anxiety Disorders Among Adolescents in a Rural Community Population in India. Indian Journal of Pediatrics. Sep 24, 2013.

Link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12098-013-1232-3

• ADad 8: School Phobia and Anxiety Disorders Among Adolescents in a Rural Community Population in India. Indian Journal of Pediatrics. Sep 18, 2013.

Link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12098-013-1208-3

• Adolescent suicide: Characterizing the need and identifying the predictive factors for preventive consultation or hospitalization in a rural community setting. Indian Journal of Pediatrics. Feb 2013.

Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23446941