Tanay Shah
Tanay, my firstborn, was a chubby, adorable baby with long brown hair. By the age of two, Tanay wasn’t still actively verbal. When we would say ‘Bye’ leaving him at home he would not respond; however, as parents we considered ourselves lucky to have such a well-behaved child who did not throw tantrums when being left. However, he was highly hyperactive, and his pediatrician dismissed our concerns, attributing his behavior to typical boyish playfulness.
When he was 2.3, we moved back to India and enrolled him in a nursery school, where he struggled with learning. His teachers attributed it to his limited exposure to English, as we spoke our regional language at home.
When he was three, there was a loud noise in his Nursery and people came running from the other rooms to check what the noise was about. Tanay was sitting in the corner of the same room playing with a toy, unaware of what had happened. Post this incident, his teachers immediately suggested we do a hearing test for him. The test was normal, but his inability to focus made it difficult to assess. He clearly had speech delays and echolalia. After several meetings with the school principal, we sought a specialist’s evaluation and received the diagnosis of PDD-NOS (Pervasive Development Disorder), which was overwhelming for us.
We began speech and occupational therapy. During this time, we were also pregnant with our second child, and the worry of potential issues for the unborn child added to our stress. Our lives quickly shifted to focus solely on therapies and doctor visits.
As Tanay grew older, he improved at speech but still struggled with social interaction, restlessness, and sensory issues. He was a picky eater, disliking simple home-cooked food but loving spicy and tangy dishes. He had a keen interest in photos, often flipping through albums, and developed a fascination with watching Indian cooking shows like Khana Khazana.
In Dubai, we discovered Tanay’s passion for cooking when he attended cooking classes at a well-known hotel. This sparked a new path for him, and during the Covid pandemic, we did a lot of cooking at home, trying new recipes and teaching Tanay. As we were cooking some lovely meals and sharing. We launched a small home catering business called 1MB (One More Byte) where Tanay helped with cooking, packing, and delivering meals. Over time, the business grew, and he gained confidence in the kitchen, learning to adjust recipes and develop his skills.
Today, Tanay is a skilled cook, a chef’s assistant, and a talented artist who enjoys Mandala art for relaxation. He participates in swimming, athletics, gym, sailing, surfing, stage shows, live painting, and even ramp walks in fashion shows. While we still face challenges with routine changes, life has become easier, and we are incredibly proud of Tanay’s progress. He is living a fulfilling and active life, and we couldn’t be happier with his progress.