Click to play videoNew Delhi: Of all the diabilties that affect people, the least known is learning disabilities.
A hidden handicap, it is purely academic where the child may have problems in reading, writing or maths.
Studies find that 10 per cent of every classroom has learning disabled children but it doesn’t mean the end of the world.
“My son couldn't wear his shoes properly till he was three. He used to wear the left one on his right foot and right one on his left foot. In school, teachers used to complain about his lack of attention,” says a dyslexic child Aman's mother, Geeta Goswami.
“He used to find it difficult to spell words. Diagnosis revealed Aman was visually dyslexic,” adds his father, Anil Goswami.
“When I was younger, I didn’t get good marks in exams. In school, I was always treated like an abnormal kid,” says Aman.
Aman is not alone as experts say this hidden disability is rampant among children.
“Ten to 12 per cent of the population is learning disabled. Effectively in a classroom of 40, three-four children in each classroom may be suffering from varying degree of disability,” says Managing Director of Orkids, Geet Oberoi.
If a child has a language processing problem and reads, copies or pronounces WAS as SAW, then he might be dyslexic.
Dyslexia is a common learning disability among children.
Another disability is related with numbers. If a child is unable to see the dots in a division sign or confuse a multiplication sign with an addition, he might have Discalculia.
So, apart from Dyslexia and Discalculia, Dysgraphia is a problem with the written expression, while the area of difficulty in Dyspraxia is fine motor skills.
But learning disabled children are not intellectually weak. Infact, they have very high IQs.
Since it is a neurological problem and not a disease, there is no cure. But early detection and intervention can help the children improve their weak spots.
“I don't mind that my school threw me out. But when I become successful, I will definitely open a special institute for children like me,” says Aman.
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter and Google+)
displayed with permission. Use of the CNN name and/or logo on or as part of CNN-IBN does not derogate from the intellectual property rights of Cable News Network in respect of them.