LEARNING DISABILITIES

A school report says: �john is slow to grasp simple concepts; john needs to put more effort into his work.�

What the report doesn�t point out is that John�s poor grades could have something to do with the fact that he has a learning disability. As difficult as this is to accept about one�s child, it is something that requires serious consideration and intervention.
It could be the single most important thing a parent does for his or her child�s future development and success.

Mary has a son, Ngugi, who at the age of eight could not write his name, let alone recognize and read it aloud. Mary finally decided to set a little of her hard earned salary aside to hire a private tutor. After three weeks of non productive tutoring, the teacher realized that Ngugi had a learning problem. The teacher referred Mary to the Centre for Learning Disabilities in Kenya.

After one hour of evaluation, Ngugi was diagnosed with dyslexia. It was the first time Mary was hearing about learning disorders and didn�t know what that meant until it was explained to her in detail. The staff at the centre advised Mary to take her son to a special school that would help Ngugi learn effectively.

Mary is now happy to see her son receive specialized education that has enabled him to cope with reading and writing like other children his age.

Dyslexia is a term that describes serious problems with reading. A child with dyslexia may not understand letters, groups of letters, sentences or paragraphs. Dyslexia is common and affects up to 12 per cent of children at the elementary stage. Ngugi�s condition is a problem with how his brain interprets the information it sees.

In some people, many overlapping learning disabilities may be apparent. Others may have a single isolated learning problem that has little impact on other areas of their lives.

Not all difficulties fall into the category of learning difficulties. 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.

The good news is that learning disabilities can be treated.

About obesity
Most children put on excess weight due to an unhealthy diet and lack of physical activity. Most parents and child caretakers make poor food choices; hence children end up pilling on excess pounds.
The amount of oil used to prepare food and the portion served also determines whether children gain excess weight. Food with a lot of oil may taste better and you may think your child is healthier because he eats large portions but this is likely to spell doom in the long run.

Fast foods and fizzy drinks are a major cause of obesity in Kenya. Overweight children are at a higher risk of developing heart attack, stroke, diabetes, bowel cancer and high blood pressure later in life. The overweight child is also likely to suffer psychological distress especially when teased or picked on by other children due to their appearance. The obese child will most likely grow into obese adult.
Parents are cautioned against giving their children food supplements unless they are prescribed by a doctor, nutritionist or other medical personnel because they can also contribute to obesity.

A nutritionist or doctor will determine whether your child�s weight is normal or not. There are several steps you can take to help you child maintain healthy weight or shed extra pounds. The first is to arm yourself with knowledge on good feeding habits. You should make use of foods in season which are cheaper and fresh. Encourage correct snacking i.e. fruits, sweet potatoes and other healthy foods.

Cut out weekly outings to fast food outlets. It is also important to provide your child with meals and snacks throughout the day so that he doesn�t become overly hungry.
Children should not eat and simultaneously do other things like watch television or completing homework. This may cause overeating or undereating which are both unhealthy.

Sit down and eat together as a family as often as possible. Use this time to impart important eating lessons such as eating food slowly which helps in proper digestion.

Physical activity is crucial. If television has taken over your child�s life, it is time you encourage him/her to engage in outdoor activity that will encourage him/her to work up some sweat. The children would be more motivated if you joined them occasionally.

About gifted children
If there is one thing that makes a parent proud, it is a brilliant child � one who consistently brings home a report card decorated with distinctions. The importance parents attach to their children�s performance in school is obvious. You probably know one such child who does not need to pore through his or her books.

All they need is to sit through a lesson to ace their examinations or simply read the topic on their own. But academic brilliance alone does not aptly describe the gifted child. Experts say there is much more to such a child.

Besides a rare thirst for knowledge, the gifted child is a head of his peers in other areas such as physical and psychological development. He or she may attain bowel and bladder control earlier, and walk and talk at a younger age. The child has an insatiable curiosity, showing a great interest in everything around him or her and asking a lot of questions even on abstract issues such as life and death. Their language is also likely to be well developed with extensive vocabulary. Do not be surprised if the child is capable of talking about a wide range of topics long before others.

Experts also list keen observations and reasoning skills as other characteristics of the gifted child. This means they may develop an uncanny ability to identify the relationship between events and readily understand something technical after being given a few examples. Their memory is also vivid, which explains why such a child does exceptionally well in examinations since their recollection is impressive.

The child is also said to be more energetic than his or her peers and may require less sleep at night but still function normally the following day.

If your child is gifted, he may prefer the company of older children and adults since his intellectual level is better matched with theirs. But it is important t note that a gifted child need not be good at everything. They may be gifted in a certain area only, for example, music, sports or language. They may have an incredible reading ability but poor writing skills. Some may have difficulty expressing themselves in words yet show exceptional mechanical ability.

How differently should a parent treat a gifted child? Should you take him to a special school or ask their teachers to allow him to skip one or two grades?

Although such a child has an upper hand in numerous areas, his psychological needs are no different from those of his peers. This child may have a higher IQ than his peers but that is where the difference ends. He or she still needs to feel loved and secure. Hugs, cuddles and frequent treats or goodies other children enjoy should therefore form part of the child�s upbringing. Some parents who realize their child possesses special skills expect him to show excellence in everything he does. This makes the child feel pressured and eventually resentful towards parents and his special ability.

The parent may only focus on the child�s educational achievements or talent, ignoring his personal and social development.

Although your five-year-old may have the intelligence of a 16 year old, he or she is still a young child in numerous other aspects and parents should remember this. Experts add that raising a well-adjusted child who is able to cope with the social and emotional demands of childhood depends on the attitude of the parent. To achieve this, the parent should pay attention to all areas of their child�s development and not just their area of strength.

The best approach for a gifted child is to allow the child to attend mainstream schooling but at the same time have special classes that will enable him or her to expand their knowledge and understanding. This has two advantages: your child gets his rightful opportunity to spend time and interact with his peers and also the chance to broaden his intellectual ability at his rate.

READING IS SO IMPORTANT
Many children have reading problems that are shown in various forms. Some lack reading fluency, while others omit letters and words or read inaccurately. Children with reading problems rarely remember what they have read and their comprehension is minimal. Good readers have the privilege of acquiring within a short time vocabulary and general knowledge that others would take years to acquire.

Those who fail to master basic reading skills in lower primary are not given an opportunity to practice reading in upper primary. Consequently, they hardly become competent readers.

Poor reading skills are so debilitating that affected children are not able to perform in other learning areas. A child who cannot read has problems with classwork and homework and, consequently, gets into trouble with the teacher. As a result, he or she not only grows to hate school but also develops a negative self-concept and sense of hopelessness.

It has been established that reading problems are a significant cause of dropping out of school during adolescence. Adolescents with poor reading skills spend most of their time watching television or talking with others for entertainment.

Many parents expect their pre-school children to automatically become avid readers before they leave kindergarten. This is misconception because reading is an abstract process and the child�s competence depends on the combined efforts of the parent and the teacher.


The following will help in developing children�s reading skills:

- Read to them daily from infancy through to adolescence: it is very important to have a set family reading time when everyone has a short session of independent reading.

- Enrich their environment: assorted reading material should be put in the various rooms they frequent to ensure they have access at any time.

- Make reading an integral part of their lives: parents should draw attention to printed matter such as road signs, labels on tins, car registration numbers etc.

- Introduce them to a library early.

- Keep track of their development: this helps identify any reading problems early. Early detection means prompt intervention.

- Appreciate achievements: when children realize their parents are enthusiastic about their reading achievements, they become motivated to read more.

- Make reading fun: develop reading games for young children to captivate their interest i.e. spy, scrabble.