Special Needs

For those parents with children requiring particular help and support, we hope this section will be of use to you.

Learning disabilities

A child with a general learning disability finds it more difficult to learn, understand and do things compared to other children of the same age.  The degree of disability can vary greatly. Some children will never learn to speak and even when they grow up will need help with looking after themselves - feeding, dressing or going to the toilet.  The disability may only be mild and the child will grow up to become independent.

A general learning disability is different from a specific learning difficulty: this means that one particular task might be very hard to perform, but others might be performed very well.  For example, a child can have a specific learning difficulty in reading, writing or understanding what is said to them, but have no problem with learning in other areas of life.What causes general learning disability?Causes include genetic factors, infection before birth, brain injury at birth, brain infections or brain damage after birth. Examples include Down's syndrome, Fragile X syndrome and cerebral palsy. In nearly one-half of children affected, the cause of the disability remains unknown.The effects of learning disability
Children or young people who have a general learning disability are aware of what goes on around them. Their ability to understand and communicate may be very limited however, and they can find it very hard to express themselves. Speech problems can make it even harder to make other people understand their feelings and needs. They are often frustrated and upset by their own limitations. When they compare themselves to other children, they can feel low and think badly of themselves. For a parent, it can be very distressing to find out that your child has a general learning disability. It may be hard for you and other members of the family to understand why your child is like this. You may not understand the full extent of the problems. It can be very hard for you to communicate with your learning disabled child, and difficult for you to manage their behaviour. Brothers and sisters may be affected in a number of ways. They may feel jealous of the attention given to their disabled brother or sister or embarrassed by their behaviour. They may even be teased at school. Quite often they can feel personally responsible for their disabled sibling or a distressed parent.Learning disability and mental health
A general learning disability is not a mental illness. Unlike mental illness, from which people normally recover, it is a life-long condition. However, children with learning disability, especially if they have problems such as epilepsy, are more likely to develop mental health problems than other children.
 
What can be done to help?
Learning and development:
It is important to recognise, as soon as possible, that a child is learning and developing slowly. It is only when the problem is recognised that the child and their family can be offered the help and support they need. Your health visitor can often play an important role in recognising slow development in the years before school.
 
Schooling:
School is particularly difficult for children with learning disabilities because it is all about learning. Local education departments can make special arrangements to help them. These vary to suit the child. For example, if they are able to cope comfortably with other people, they may go to a mainstream school but have extra or specialised tuition. On the other hand, if they have a more severe disability, they may need to go to one of our local special needs schools.
 
 
Respite care and special schemes can give parents a break. Parent support groups in Guernsey can put people in touch with other people who are coping with similar problems. Health and Social Services will be able to advise, both on these issues and Social Security on any benefits to which parents are entitled.
 
Like all children, children with learning disabilities continue to progress and learn throughout their childhood - but more slowly.
 
Disability does not stop a child from having a full and enjoyable life. The aim of all the special services is to help these children to have lives that are as enjoyable and fulfilling as those of other people.  A child with a specific learning difficulty is as able as any other child, except in one or two areas of their learning. For instance, they may find it difficult to recognise letters, or to cope with numbers or reading.  There are many different types of specific learning disability, but the best known is probably dyslexia. In dyslexia, the child has difficulty with written symbols. Although these children are generally intelligent, they have difficulty with reading and spelling. It may be difficult for parents and teachers to realise that a child has this sort of problem, especially if their development has appeared quite normal in the early years. Often, the child will appear to understand, have good ideas, and join in storytelling and other activities as well as other children and better than some. Sometimes it can take years for adults to realise that a child has a specific difficulty.
 
We are really lucky in Guernsey to have a fantastic resource in terms of Le Rondin School and for more information you can visit their website www.lerondin.sch.gg
 
What effect does it have?
Specific difficulties can make lessons hard for a child to understand. They will have a hard time keeping up with classmates, and may come to see themselves as stupid, or no good. They find it hard to concentrate on lessons and, because they cannot follow them properly, they find lessons `boring'. The child will often search for other ways to pass the time and to succeed. They may try to avoid doing schoolwork because they find it impossible to do it well.
 
Doing badly in school can undermine their self-confidence. This can make it harder for the child to get along with other children and to keep friends.
 
They may become the clown of the class because it is better than being `stupid'. Children with specific reading difficulties often become angry and frustrated, so behavioural problems are common.  If they don't get suitable help, the problems may get worse.  Older children may drop out, fail exams or get into serious trouble - both at school and outside.
 
What can help?
Remedial education is a special programme of learning where the child's difficulties are taken into account. This helps a great deal.
 
A child with learning difficulties should have their needs properly assessed by the school. If you think this may be necessary, you should talk to the teacher about your concerns. If problems continue, the child may need to be assessed by an educational psychologist. If the learning problem seems to be associated with hyperactivity, behavioural problems or problems with coordination, extra help may be needed.
 
If you think your child may have specific learning difficulties, remember, you can request an assessment of special educational needs. Speak to the child's school. Talking to your child's teacher about your concerns is a good place to start.
 
 
Sources of further information
Guernsey Association for Mental Health
Wigwam Support Group
Special Olympics Guernsey
National Autism Society Guernsey http://nasguernsey.com
 
 
Please feel free to contribute to this article by contacting us. Or share your advice and experience on this subject by joining the chat on THE GUERNSEY GRAPEVINE.