It is estimated that 15 per cent of school-going children suffer from learning disabilities either in terms of reading, writing or memorising. They get labelled as slow learners, but parents and teachers need to identify such problems early and take remedial measures, experts said at a workshop on ‘Learning disabilities in children’ conducted here on Sunday.
Experts attribute most learning disability cases to genetic vulnerability. “Though pregnant women getting exposed to toxins and infections is a cause, the percentage is negligible,” said Dr. Vishal Indla, chief psychiatrist at Vijayawada Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences.
Owing to the complications associated with the problem, most children find it difficult to read, write and memorise. Owing to lack of awareness, most parents and teachers constantly pressurise children to excel in their academics, but this leads to depression, behaviour problems and stammering, he said at the workshop organised by L.V.Prasad Eye Institute at Tadigadapa.
Early identification is the key to address the problem. Legends like Albert Einstein and Leonardo Da Vinci suffered from learning disabilities, but they overcame such problems. There are various learning skills such as visual form, auditory form, kinesthetic form (through touch and movement) and writing for such children, he added.
Centre for Special Education director Farida Raj suggested that schools employ special educators and counsellors for helping children with learning disabilities. “Interestingly, more boys tend to have such problems than girls, and the ratio is 4:1,” she said.
On the availability of tests or assessments for identifying the problem, she said there were a few tests and parents and teachers should try them.
