School Mental Health Services for Children with Learning Disorders

Children with Learning Disabilities are those who, despite adequate ability, have great difficulties in the areas of academic achievement. These difficulties are characterized by problems in language, attention, perception, memory, auditory perception, language, visual perception, fine and gross motor coordination. Comprehensive assessment and management by team of mental health professionals such as psychologist, occupational therapist, special educators, social workers, psychiatrist and psychiatric nurse in the afore said cognitive domains is of paramount importance. Learning disabilities have been recognized by the educationist as disabling conditions. But there are no provisions for addressing the psycho-social issues and mental health issues in parents and children arising out of SLD. Hence, School Mental health programmes are essential to address the lacunae. Provision of comprehensive school mental health programme and special education/remedial education service would go long way in the outcome of intervening learning disability and the co-morbid conditions associated with it.