As September approaches and schools re-open for a new term, many children and parents alike feel apprehensive. Some of them recall the struggle they go through with homework, tests and just the day-to-day learning. It becomes even more frustrating when the child is obviously bright and has all the necessary tools to succeed. Then why is s/he not coping with schoolwork?
The puzzle of underachievement, especially with apparently intelligent kids can be very distressing. Contradictions abound – Jack can sit for hours playing quietly and contently with his cars but cannot sit long enough to look at a book. Ahmed is brilliant at play station and can reach levels even his older brother cannot but can barely produce a simple written sentence. Mira loves to draw but cannot remember how to form the letters of an alphabet. It doesn’t make sense that Ali can remember names of all the cars, their makes, types and advantages of each but cannot memorize the spelling words of the weekly test. Yasmin is an excellent reader but has difficulty adding and subtracting.
When parents confront a child’s puzzling school performance they usually feel that the child is immature, lazy, is not trying hard enough or is unmotivated and unwilling to learn. They redouble their effort, alternatively using rewards or threats and even sometimes punishments to get them to improve.
Next they start to doubt themselves. These doubts can be aggravated by pointed questions asked by the child’s teachers, “Have you been helping your child learn the spellings words?” or “Do you go over the homework with your child?” “Is there some problems at home?” Relatives, friends and sometimes even total strangers add to their woe by offering well meant but occasionally unsound advice like “Have you tried stopping chocolates and fizzy drinks?” or “Maybe s/he watches too much television!” More often the advice adds further burdens on the parents and increases their guilt at having ‘not done enough’.
At some point the parents try to link their child’s problems to the teachers or the school. The teacher is too harsh or too busy. They feel that the problem is arising from the fact that the classrooms are crowded or that the curriculum is inappropriate.
However, it is important to realise that any child from any environment may have learning problems. There are many possible reasons for a particular child’s underachievement. In some cases, poor performance can be attributed to a combination of heredity, temperament, learning disabilities, family stress and a poor match of child and teacher.
When a child underachieves, berating the child, the teacher, the school or oneself is not a solution. Nor should a parent give in to cynicisms or despair. Before the parent can help their child, understanding the multiple reasons for learning problems and specifically understanding and recognising the nature of Specific Learning Difficulties (SLD) or Learning Disability is a start.
Definition:
Many definitions have been put forward and have changed with time as our understanding of learning disability has broadened. Despite the confusion, Specific Learning Disability is a term reserved for children who fail to learn despite an apparently normal capacity for learning. They may have specific difficulties in reading (Dyslexia), maths (Dyscalculia), writing (dysgraphia) or spellings. The weakness in these areas should be at least two grades below expectation. Some definitions also include language problems and inherent social dysfunction. Hence these kids appear to be bright, try hard and are taught by good teachers but still seem to struggle in either one of these areas.
Prevalence:
Several studies in various parts of the western world have reported incidences form 10 to 29 percent of their child population (Silver & Hagin 1990). Thus in a class of 25 children, we can expect 5 to 6 children with some form of learning difficulty.
Co-morbidity:
This actually means the associated or primary disorders seen with children with Learning Disability. 25% to 95% have some form of language impairment. Language is the ‘window into the mind’ It is essential for thinking, feeling, behaving, social relationships and most of all learning. Subtle language impairments may not be easily seen but can cause behaviour, learning and psychiatric problems. Many language-disordered children go on to have either reading, spelling or writing disorder.
Emotional problems are seen in many of the children with learning disabilities. With chronic school difficulties, self-esteem suffers and anxiety and depression may set in. When harsh punishments or put downs or threats are used to try and motivate these children to learn, emotional problems worsen.
ADHD and ADD or attention problems are seen in almost 80% of the children with learning disabilities. Many times ADD can mimic dyslexia or other learning disabilities. ADHD and ADD can result in inability to focus, remain seated, follow instructions, complete tasks or even attempt tasks particularly those requiring diligence and persistence like homework. All ADD kids are not over active.
Behaviour problems are often encountered in learning disabled children. Disruptive behaviour includes opposition, non-compliance and restlessness (seen as part of ADD or even masked depression. Conduct problems include stealing, lying and truancy. Many are as a result of anxiety, anger towards the system and a low self esteem.
At risk for Learning Disabilities:
Language delay – the child starts to speak later than 2 years
Delay in development of milestones
Problems at birth
Very irritable and difficult during infancy and toddler hood
Positive family history
Recurrent otitis media or ear infections
Early signs of Learning difficulties - preschool
¨ Difficulty with tying shoelaces or buttoning
¨ Delayed speech.
¨ Problems with pronunciation
¨ Problems with rhyming words and learning rhymes
¨ Difficulty with learning shapes, colours and how to write their own name
¨ Difficulty with retelling a story in the right order of events
¨ Poor pencil control or dislike of colouring
¨ Difficulty in picking up the alphabet
¨ Delay in recognising colours and shapes
Symptoms in primary school children
Problems with reading a single word.
Regularly confuses certain letters when writing, such as ‘d’ and ‘b’ or ‘m’ and ‘w’.
Regularly writes words backwards, such as writing ‘pit’ when the word ‘tip’ was intended.
Problems with grammar, such as learning prefixes or suffixes.
Tries to avoid reading aloud in class.
Doesn’t like reading books.
Reads below their expected level.
Symptoms in high school children
Poor reading.
Bad spelling, including different misspellings of the same word in one writing assignment.
Difficulties with writing summaries.
Problems with learning a foreign language.
All children with LD dislike going to school and may resist doing homework.
Diagnosis
If you suspect that your child has SLD or Specific Learning Difficulties then first talk to his or her class teacher. Then if necessary seek professional advice. The evaluation may include testing a range of factors including:
¨ Cognitive (thinking) skills
¨ Memory
¨ Vocabulary
¨ Literacy skills
¨ Intellectual ability
¨ Attention control
¨ Language
Dr. Rajeshree Singhania MD, PhD, MEd, Neurodevelopmental Paediatrician; Dubai Health Care City; P: 04 429 8498; Email: singhaniaclinic@gmail.com; www.singhaniachildrensclinic.com
