Take a few minutes to answer these questions about your school-going child:

If you answered 'yes' to any one of the questions above, and if your child has normal vision, hearing, and no physical problems, then it is possible that he or she has a special need for attention and care. No one knows a child better than his or her parent, but sometimes even parents need help in identifying what their children's problems are in order to fulfill their roles as caregivers. Sometimes our children can confound us with the contradictions in their behavior, where they may be bright and capable of many different types of play and creative activities, and yet do poorly at school, despite putting a lot of effort and time into homework. Some may simply be unable to express themselves to others and not only because they are shy or withdrawn. If you have been noticing inconsistencies in a child's behavior it may be time to consider that he or she requires some special attention. And as a parent your insightful observation and a 'knowingness' of your child's abilities, and your calmness and efficiency in understanding what is wrong could go a long way in helping a child who feels trapped and silent inside his/her world.

'Children with special needs' is a broad phrase that includes a range of developmental problems children have, arising from a number of factors. These could include:

As a parent it is not important to merely find a label that describes your child's behavior, for labels only describe the symptoms rather than clarify the underlying difficulties, but to understand the problem deeply in order to devise an intervention and treatment plan. As a parent only you can:

Before you allow yourself to be swept away by paranoia, or rush to find a label that will encapsulate all that is going wrong with your child, take some time to sit and think about a whole range of things your child might be experiencing. A number of reactions that a child is exhibiting might be a fall-out of other emotional problems and disturbances that the child is facing either at home or at school - like bullying at school, work pressure, tension in the home or with a sibling, sexual abuse etc.. So do spend some time evaluating your home environment and in talking to your child about what he or she is feeling, and take time to understand the exact nature of the problem in learning and/or communicating.

It is also important to recognize that we assess and label dis/abilities on the basis of children's school performance, which is not always the best indicator of a child's skills and abilities. A school system of education puts a lot of pressure on children to perform rather than to learn, and the field of abilities that are tested is very narrow. For example, a child who is sensitive, poetic and artistic and who enjoys painting and writing and theatre and who does not top the class in Maths and Zoology may not really have a "disability", but is just different in his or her talent and self-expression. Our school system sets up a strict code of success and achievement based on an arbitrary marking and ranking system, so children are trained to perform during tests, and therefore see their self-worth and abilities in terms of school marks alone, rather than in a holistic way that incorporates hobbies, the arts, sports, leadership etc. The old adage "all work and no play makes Jack/Jane a dull boy/girl" is apt for most children around us, who'se sense of creativity, fun and play has been dulled by having to swallow and regurgitate volumes of text taught in the most boring of ways.

As parents and teachers we put pressure on children to perform at school work without realizing that children's expressions span a wide range of abilities, and school work needs to form only one aspect of how we assess a child's potential. Some children are blessed with a wonderful sense of images and imagery, others respond to music and dance, some have wit and articulation, and some are athletic and graceful. In the Academy award-winning movie Rain Man, Dustin Hoffman plays an Autistic Savant (classified as a form of a mental disABILITY) who can multiply six digit numbers in under five seconds, remember complicated sequences of playing cards, memorize half a phone directory overnight, and count a heap of toothpicks by looking at them. All tasks that would supposedly enable a school-going child to excel at any exam; and yet he was unable to express himself in ways that we "normal" people expect through language, articulation, and interpersonal communication. Was the character a "genius", was he "dumb", or just simply "mad"? We must be cautious about the kinds of standards of excellence and performance that we set up for our children, and the arbiters of "normalcy" and "abnormalcy". Each child has a different rate of learning, absorption, and comprehension. Having difficulty in some areas of learning does not necessarily mean that our child is incapable of all learning.

Unlike other disabilities, such as paralysis or blindness, a learning disability (LD) is a hidden handicap. A learning disability doesn't disfigure or leave visible signs that would invite others to be understanding or offer support. LD is a disorder that affects people's ability to either interpret what they see and hear or to link information from different parts of the brain. These limitations can show up in many ways--as specific difficulties with spoken and written language, coordination, self-control, or attention. Such difficulties extend to schoolwork and can impede learning to read or write, or to do math. Learning disabilities can be lifelong conditions that, in some cases, affect many parts of a person's life: school or work, daily routines, family life, and sometimes even friendships. In some people, many overlapping learning disabilities may be apparent. Other people may have a single, isolated learning problem that has little impact on other areas of their lives.

"Learning disability" is not a diagnosis in the same sense as "chickenpox" or "mumps." Chickenpox and mumps imply a single, known cause with a predictable set of symptoms. Rather, LD is a broad term that covers a pool of possible causes, symptoms, treatments and outcomes. Partly because learning disabilities can show up in so many forms, it is difficult to diagnose or to pinpoint the causes. And no one knows of a pill or remedy that will cure them. Not all learning problems are necessarily learning disabilities. Many children are simply slower in developing certain skills. Because children show natural differences in their rate of development, sometimes what seems to be a learning disability may simply be a delay in maturation. To be diagnosed as a learning disability, specific criteria must be met.

Some types of Learning DisABILITIES

Dyslexia: is a a language-based learning disability in which a person has trouble understanding words, sentences, or paragraphs. It is also considered a specific learning disability in reading. People with dyslexia have normal vision, but they have difficulty recognizing words. It can involve difficulty in decoding, sounding out words and comprehension. Ranges from mild to severe. There is also a small percentage of people who read words backwards.

A person can have problems in any of the complex neurological tasks involved in reading. However, scientists have found that a significant number of people with dyslexia share an inability to distinguish or separate the sounds in spoken words. Some children for example, can't identify the word "bat" by sounding out the individual letters, b-a-t. Other children with dyslexia may have trouble with rhyming games, such as rhyming "cat" with "bat." Scientists have also found that these skills are fundamental to learning to read. Fortunately, remedial reading specialists have developed techniques that can help many children with dyslexia acquire these skills. However, there is more to reading than recognizing words. If the brain is unable to form images or relate new ideas to those stored in memory, the reader can't understand or remember the new concepts. So other types of reading disabilities can appear in the upper grades when the focus of reading shifts from word identification to comprehension.

Gifted: A kind of exceptionality. The student who is gifted is one who is very, very bright or smart and who learns things much more quickly than other students his age. Therefore, the child can absorb and integrate information and learning at a much faster rate and feels that school is not challenging enough. This frustration may be expressed through unruly behavior, aggression, disinterest in school work and friends etc.

Hyperlexia: characterized by precocious reading ability or a fascination with letters, words or numbers, coupled with significant problems in language, learning, and social skills. Children with hyperlexia are visual learners - they understand what they see much better than what they hear. Listening to people talk is like hearing a foreign language to them.

Specific Learning Disabled (SLD): A kind of exceptionality. The student with a specific learning disability is one who seems to have average or better health, vision, hearing, and intelligence, but is still unable to learn things as easily or quickly as most other students his/her age.

Developmental Writing Disorder -- Writing too involves several brain areas and functions. The brains networks for vocabulary, grammar, hand movement, and memory must all be in good working order. So a developmental writing disorder may result from problems in any of these areas. For example, a child who is unable to distinguish the sequence of sounds in a word, has problems with spelling. A child with a writing disability, particularly an expressive language disorder, might be unable to compose complete grammatical sentences.

Attention Disorders: Nearly 20% of children who have learning disabilities, have a type of disorder that leaves them unable to focus their attention. Some children and adults who have attention disorders appear to daydream excessively, or are extremely hyperactive and cannot seem to focus or relax and be quiet and are constantly seeking stimulation of different kinds. And once you get their attention, they're often easily distracted. They may tend to mentally drift off into a world of their own. If, they are quiet and don't cause problems, their problems may go unnoticed. They may be passed along from grade to grade, without getting the special assistance they need. Those who are extremely active and noisy might be seen as disruptive, hostile, especially when authorities try to punish them into calming down and 'behaving themselves'.

Understandably, one of the first questions parents ask when they learn their child has a learning disorder is "Why? What went wrong?"

Mental health professionals stress that since no one knows what causes learning disabilities, it doesn't help parents to look backward to search for possible reasons. There are too many possibilities to pin down the cause of the disability with certainty. It is far more important for the family to move forward in finding ways to get the right help.

Scientists, however, do need to study causes in an effort to identify ways to prevent learning disabilities. Once, scientists thought that all learning disabilities were caused by a single neurological problem. But research supported by NIMH (National Institute for Mental Health, USA) has helped us see that causes are diverse and complex. New evidence seems to show that most learning disabilities do not stem from a single, specific area of the brain, but from difficulties in bringing together information from various brain regions.

Today, a leading theory is that learning disabilities stem from subtle disturbances in brain structures and functions. Some scientists believe that, in many cases, the disturbances begin before birth.

Parents are usually the first to notice obvious delays in their child reaching early milestones. The pediatrician may observe more subtle signs of minor neurological damage, such as a lack of coordination. But the classroom teacher, in fact, may be the first to notice the child's persistent difficulties in reading, writing, or arithmetic. As school tasks become more complex, a child with a learning disABILITY may have problems mentally juggling more information.

The learning problems of children who are quiet and polite in school may go unnoticed. Children with above average intelligence, who manage to maintain passing grades despite their disability, are even less likely to be identified. Children with hyperactivity, on the other hand, will be identified quickly by their impulsive behavior and excessive movement. Hyperactivity usually begins before age 4 but may not be recognized until the child enters school.

What should parents, doctors and teachers do if critical developmental milestones haven't appeared by the usual age? Sometimes it's best to allow a little more time, simply for the brain to mature a bit. But if a milestone is already long delayed, if there's a history of learning disABILITIES in the family, or if there are several delayed skills, the child should be professionally evaluated as soon as possible. An educator or a doctor who treats children can suggest where to go for help.

Assessment is a way of collecting information about a student's special learning needs, strengths and interests. An assessment may include giving individual tests, observing the student, looking at records and talking with the student and/or his parents. Assessment is also an ongoing process by which qualified professionals, together with families, through standardized tests and observation, look at all areas of a child's development: motor, language, intellectual, social/emotional and self-help skills, including dressing, going to the toilet, etc. Both areas of strength and those requiring support and intervention are identified.

The effects of learning disabilities can ripple outward from the disABLED child or adult to family, friends and peers at school or work. Children with LD often absorb what others thoughtlessly say about them. They may define themselves in the light of their disabilities, as "behind," "slow," or "different." Sometimes they don't know how they're different, but they know how awful they feel. Their tension or shame can lead them to act out in various ways--from withdrawal to belligerence. Some may get into fights or be bullied, others may stop trying to learn and achieve and eventually drop out of school, or some may become isolated and depressed.

Children with learning disABILITIES and attention disorders may have trouble making friends with peers. For children with attention problems, this may be due to their impulsive, hostile, or withdrawn behavior. Some children with delays may be more comfortable with younger children who play at their level. Social problems may also be a product of their disABILITY. Some people with LD seem unable to interpret tone of voice or facial expressions. Misunderstanding the situation, they act inappropriately, turning people away.

Without help, the situation can spiral out of control. The more that children or teenagers fail, the more they may act out their frustration and damage their self-esteem. The more they act out, the more trouble and punishment it brings, further lowering their self-esteem. It is even more difficult for a child to cope when and if she engages in other activities like music, dance, theatre, art where he/she feels comfortable and receives positive feedback about his/her talents. So 'school' and everything related to it is avoided, and the child feels resentful and upset that he/she is not appreciated for things that he/she enjoys doing.

Having a child with a learning disability may also be an emotional burden for the family. Parents often sweep through a range of emotions: denial, guilt, blame, frustration, anger, and despair. Brothers and sisters may be annoyed or embarrassed by their sibling, or jealous of all the attention the child with LD gets.

Counseling can be very helpful to people with LD and their families. Counseling can help affected children, teenagers and adults develop greater self-control and a more positive attitude toward their own abilities. Talking with a counselor or psychologist also allows family members to air their feelings as well as get support and reassurance.

Behavior modification and remedial education also seems to help many children with hyperactivity and LD. In behavior modification, children receive immediate, tangible rewards when they act appropriately. Receiving an immediate reward can help children learn to control their own actions, both at home and in class. A school or private counselor can explain behavior modification and help parents and teachers set up appropriate rewards for the child.

Parents and teachers can help by structuring tasks and environments for the child in ways that allow the child to succeed. They can find ways to help children build on their strengths and work around their disABILITIES. This may mean deliberately making eye contact before speaking to a child with an attention disorder. For a teenager with a language problem, it may mean providing pictures and diagrams for performing a task. For students with handwriting or spelling problems, a solution may be to provide a word processor and software that checks spelling. A counselor or school psychologist can help identify practical solutions that make it easier for the child and family to cope day by day.

Every child needs to grow up feeling competent and loved. When children have learning disABILITIES, parents may need to work harder at developing their children's self-esteem and relationship-building skills. And self-esteem and good relationships are as worth developing as any academic skill.

Can these disabilities be outgrown or cured?

Even though most people don't outgrow their brain dysfunctions, people do learn to adapt and live fulfilling lives. There are a number of children who make a life for themselves--not by being cured, but by developing their personal strengths. There are always alternative ways by which they can learn and enjoy their other talents.

Even though a learning disABILITY doesn't disappear, given the right types of educational experiences, people have a remarkable ability to learn. The brain's flexibility to learn new skills is probably greatest in young children and may diminish somewhat after puberty. This is why early intervention is so important. Nevertheless, we retain the ability to learn throughout our lives.

Even though learning disABILITIES can't be cured, there is still cause for hope. Because certain learning problems reflect delayed development, many children do eventually catch up. Of the speech and language disorders, children who have an articulation or an expressive language disorder are the least likely to have long-term problems. Despite initial delays, most children do learn to speak. For people with dyslexia, the outlook is mixed. But an appropriate remedial reading program can help learners make great strides.

With age, and appropriate help from parents and clinicians, hyperactive children become better able to suppress their hyperactivity and to channel it into more socially acceptable behaviors.

Books for Children and Teens With Learning Disabilities

| Home | About IFSHA | FREE Ecards | Young People | Parenting | Meditation for children |
| Sexual Violence | Child Sexual Abuse | Domestic Violence | Sexuality |
| Sex Glossary | FAQs | Post a Question | Inspirational Stories | Contact Us
| Sitemap |
| The Sound of Running Water | The Self is Running Water | Experiencing Truth |
| In Search of the Miraculous | Is this about Religion | Is this Path about God | Secrets of the Path |
| Recommended Websites | Booklist | Newcomers Questions |