THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM
According to the American Psychiatric Association, it is estimated that 5 per cent to 15 per cent of school-age children globally have a learning disorder, impacting their abilities in reading, writing, or arithmetic. Of these, around 80 per cent have dyslexia, characterised by specific reading impairments.
In Singapore, 6.9 per cent of students in mainstream primary and secondary schools, or around 27,000 students, are reported to have special educational needs (SEN). This includes, but is not limited to mild autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and dyslexia and hearing loss.
It would not be surprising if the actual number is higher if we take into account children who do not have formal diagnoses.
There is a pressing need to address the support for these students.
Students with dyslexia, for example, struggle with being misunderstood as having low intelligence or laziness, but they actually suffer from a specific learning difficulty that affects language processing. Many children with dyslexia are highly intelligent and creative, but face challenges in reading, spelling and writing due to the neurological basis of their condition.
Students with ADHD struggle with inattention and hyperactivity, which can hinder academic performance and lead to chronic underachievement. They often face additional challenges, including anxiety, depression and conduct disorders. These comorbidities can have lifelong effects on their emotional and social development.
In many of the students I’ve treated, I’ve witnessed how their emotional and academic struggles, coupled with frequent scoldings from parents and teachers, can erode self-esteem, creating a vicious cycle where poor self-perception further impacts school performance and behaviour.
One of my patients, a Primary 6 child, would repeatedly hit his head in frustration because he was so overwhelmed and distraught over not being able to focus enough to complete his homework. Whenever that happens, it is heartbreaking for his family to watch.
I share this story in sessions with other patients to illustrate the impact that untreated issues can have on a child’s emotional well-being.
Social difficulties exacerbate the situation, as children with learning disorders can find it hard to maintain positive peer relationships, leading to isolation and, in some cases, associations with delinquent peers, potentially resulting in conduct disorders and antisocial behaviour.