Children with special educational needs

Autism• Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically

appears during the first three years of life.• It is a brain disorder that affects a person’s ability to

communicate, form relationships with others, and respond appropriately to the environment.

• People with autism are not physically disabled and ‘look’ just like anybody without the disability.

• Those with high-functioning autism may have speech and intelligence intact. Others may be mentally disabled, mute, or have serious language delays.

• Autism may make them seem closed off and shut down. Some seem locked into repetitive behaviors. People with autism tend to share certain social, communication, motor, and sensory problems that affect their behavior.

Autism

• People with autism may have some of the following traits.• Does not babble or coo by 12 months• Does not gesture (point, wave, grasp) by 12 months• Does not say single words by 16 months

Does not say two-word phrases on his or her own by 24 months• Has any loss of any language or social skill at any age.• Insistence on sameness; resistance to change• Difficulty in expressing needs; uses gestures or pointing instead

of words• Repeating words or phrases in place of normal, responsive

language• Laughing, crying, showing distress for reasons not apparent to

others• Prefers to be alone; aloof manner

Autism• Tantrums• Difficulty in mixing with others• May not want to cuddle or be cuddled• Little or no eye contact• Unresponsive to normal teaching methods• Sustained odd play• Spins objects• Inappropriate attachments to objects• Apparent over-sensitivity or under-sensitivity to pain• No real fears of danger• Noticeable physical over-activity or extreme under-activity• Uneven gross/fine motor skills• Not responsive to verbal cues; acts as if deaf although hearing tests in

normal range.

Down syndrome• There are three major types of Down Syndrome.• Trisomy 21 is the presence of extra genetic material on the 21st

pair of chromosomes resulting from an anomaly in cell division during development of the egg or sperm or during fertilization. About 95% have Trisomy 21.

• Translocation is where the extra chromosome 21 broke off and became attached to another chromosome. About 4% have Translocation.

• Mosaicism is where only some cells have Trisomy 21. About 1% have Mosaicism. Some of the characteristics of Down Syndrome are almond shaped eyes, small ears, small head size, short, broad hands with a single transverse palmar crease. Mental disabilities of varying degrees is also common

Down Syndrome

Down syndrome

• Down's syndrome can affect a person in many different ways and each individual will experience different social and healthcare needs.

• Physical appearance• People with Down's syndrome share a number of physical

characteristics. Not everyone will have all of them, but they may include:

• reduced muscle tone which results in floppiness(hypotonia)

• a small nose and flat nasal bridge• a small mouth• eyes that slant upwards and outwards• a big space between the first and second toe (sandal gap)

Down syndrome

• broad hands with short fingers• their palm may have only one crease across it (palmar crease)• a below average weight and length at birth• However, it is important to note that people with Down's syndrome do not all look

the same and will share physical features with their parents and family.• Delayed development• All children with Down's syndrome have some degree of learning disability and

delayed development, but this varies widely between individual children.• Babies with Down's syndrome also often have short arms and legs and low muscle

tone, making it harder for them to learn how to move.• Certain development milestones are often affected, including:• reaching• sitting• standing• walking• communicating• talking• reading

Down syndrome

• A small proportion of children with Down's syndrome have additional medical complications that also affect their development (see complications of Down's syndrome).

• Some children also experience autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

• These extra difficulties affect about 10% of children with Down's syndrome. Speak to the health professionals working with your family for advice or an assessment if you believe your child may be experiencing extra difficulties.

• It is important to recognise that a child with Down's syndrome may still acquire many of the cognitive and social skills most other people develop. It simply takes more time, and a child should be allowed to move forward at their own pace.

ADHD

ADHD• We all know kids who can’t sit still, who never seem to

listen, who don’t follow instructions no matter how clearly you present them, or who blurt out inappropriate comments at inappropriate times. Sometimes these children are labeled as troublemakers, or criticized for being lazy and undisciplined. However, they may have ADD/ADHD.

• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a disorder that appears in early childhood. You may know it by the name attention deficit disorder, or ADD. ADD/ADHD makes it difficult for people to inhibit their spontaneous responses—responses that can involve everything from movement to speech to attentiveness.

ADHDWhat is ADHD?• ADHD is a condition of the brain that affects a person's ability to pay

attention. It is most common in school-age children.

What causes ADHD?• In most cases, the cause of ADHD is unknown. The most likely cause of

ADHD appears to be genetics. Many children with ADHD have a family history of the disorder or behaviors associated with ADHD.

What are some signs or symptoms of ADHD?• ADHD is a chronic disorder, meaning that it affects an individual

throughout life. The symptoms are also pervasive, meaning they occur in multiple settings, rather than just one.

• Current research supports the idea of two distinct characteristics of ADHD, inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity. A child with these characteristics typically demonstrates the following signs:

ADHD

• Inattention:Has difficulty concentrating Has unrelated thoughts Has problems focusing and sustaining attention Appears to not be listening Performance depends on task May have better attention to enjoyed activities Has difficulty planning, organizing, and completing tasks on

time Has problems learning new things Demonstrates poor self-regulation of behavior, that is, he or

she has difficulty monitoring and modifying behavior to fit different situations and settings

ADHD

• Hyperactivity Seems unable to sit still (e.g., squirming in

his/her seat, roaming around the room, tapping pencil, wiggling feet, and touching everything)

Appears restless and fidgety May bounce from one activity to the next Often tries to do more than one thing at once

ADHD

• Impulsivity: Difficulty thinking before acting (e.g., hitting a

classmate when he/she is upset or frustrated)Problems waiting his/her turn, such as when

playing a game

ADHD

• ADHD is diagnosed by the child's doctor, with input from the family and other professionals. These professionals include the following: speech-language pathologists (SLPs) regular, special education, and resource teachers,nurses, psychologists, employers (when applicable)

ADHDAssessments by the SLP may include some or all of the following:• Observing the interactions with peers and authority figures in the

classroom/work setting and during formal testing • Observing conversation with parents and other family members• Interviewing parents/caregivers about speech and language

development Interviewing the child to evaluate self-awareness of needs and difficulties, as age appropriate

• Formally evaluating speech and language skills, such as fluency (whether or not child stutters), speech articulation (pronunciation and clarity of speech), understanding and use of grammar (syntax), understanding and use of vocabulary (semantics ), awareness of speech sounds (phonemic awareness)

• Evaluating the ability to explain or retell a story, centering on a topic and chaining a sequence of events together

• Assessing social communication skills (pragmatic language)• Discussing stories and the points of view of various characters• Assessing the ability to plan, organize, and attend to details

ADHDWhat speech and language treatments are available for people with ADHD? • Specific speech and language patterns vary from child to child with ADHD.

For example, some children with ADHD also have learning disabilities that affect their speech and language. Evaluation of each child's individual speech and language ability is critical to developing an appropriate treatment plan.

• Speech and language intervention for the person with ADHD is always individualized, as each person has different needs.

ADHD

• A physician will work with the family and student to prescribe medication, if needed, to help with attention. If medication is prescribed, the SLP will work with other educational professionals to observe the student's pre- and post-medication behavior. As part of the educational team, the SLP will communicate with the family and physician regarding any post-medication behavioral changes. Is the student drowsy? Is sustained attention better/worse? How long does it take for the medication to take effect? The physician will use these observations to adjust dosage, the time medications are administered, and which medication is used.

• The SLP, along with other team members, will work with the teacher to change the classroom environment as needed (e.g., sitting the student in the front of the classroom, having the student repeat directions before following them, using checklists and other visual organizers to help with planning and follow-through).

Dyslexia

Dyslexia

• What is Dyslexia?• “Dyslexia is a reading difficulty in a child or adult

who otherwise has good intelligence, strong motivation and adequate schooling……Dyslexia reflects a problem within the language system in the brain” ( Shaywitz, 2003 )

• In 1887, the word “dyslexia” was coined by Berlin, a German doctor, from 2 Greek words : Dys ( difficulty )and Lexia ( the use of words ).

Dyslexia

• Here’s a few simple facts about dyslexia : • The most obvious sign of dyslexia is an unexpected difficulty in learning to

read. If you have never heard about dyslexia, such children just puzzle you, you wonder why they don’t learn.

• Dyslexia is more than just a reading problem, it is a syndrome ( symptoms that often goes together ) Problems usually include reading, spelling, pronunciation, recall of words for speaking / writing and memorizing sequences.

• Dyslexia is a specific learning disability – it affects only one area of learning. There appears to be a “glitch” in the neural wiring when it first laid down during embryonic development, but this mis-wiring is confined to the specific neural system used for reading. A dyslexic child is different from a “slow learner” ( low IQ ), who finds all kinds of learning difficult.

• Other areas of development are not affected and dyslexics demonstrate average or even higher levels of achievement in activities such as drawing and other visual arts, in music in drama and in sports. They often think in very creative ways and may be good problem solvers.

Dyslexia

• Studies show that approximately 10% of school-age children experience dyslexic-type difficulties. About 4% have problems that are severe enough to be a real handicap to their learning in a traditional classroom.

• Dyslexia is not a “all-or-nothing” condition. A person may be mildly, moderately or severely dyslexic. Another thing to remember is that each dyslexic has his/her own set of symptoms. For example, one dyslexic may read quite well, but find it difficult to learn spelling or to express ideas clearly. Another may struggle with reading, but be very fluent when he speaks.

• Each dyslexic has his own personal set of difficulties, but with appropriate help, most of them CAN learn to read and write well enough to become successful students. They CAN complete secondary school and go on to university or other tertiary institution.

Dyslexia

• Most dyslexics will exhibit about 10 of the following traits and behaviors. These characteristics can vary from day-to-day or minute-to-minute. The most consistent thing about dyslexics is their inconsistency.

Dyslexia

• General characteristics• Appears bright, highly intelligent, and articulate but unable to read, write,

or spell at grade level.• Labelled lazy, dumb, careless, immature, "not trying hard enough," or

"behavior problem."• Isn't "behind enough" or "bad enough" to be helped in the school setting.• High in IQ, yet may not test well academically; tests well orally, but not

written.• Feels dumb; has poor self-esteem; hides or covers up weaknesses with

ingenious compensatory strategies; easily frustrated and emotional about school reading or testing.

• Talented in art, drama, music, sports, mechanics, story-telling, sales, business, designing, building, or engineering.

• Seems to "Zone out" or daydream often; gets lost easily or loses track of time.

• Difficulty sustaining attention; seems "hyper" or "daydreamer."• Learns best through hands-on experience, demonstrations,

experimentation, observation, and visual aids.

Dyslexia

• Vision, Reading, and Spelling• Complains of dizziness, headaches or stomach aches while reading.• Confused by letters, numbers, words, sequences, or verbal explanations.• Reading or writing shows repetitions, additions, transpositions,

omissions, substitutions, and reversals in letters, numbers and/or words.• Complains of feeling or seeing non-existent movement while reading,

writing, or copying.• Seems to have difficulty with vision, yet eye exams don't reveal a

problem.• Extremely keen sighted and observant, or lacks depth perception and

peripheral vision.• Reads and rereads with little comprehension.• Spells phonetically and inconsistently.

Dyslexia

• Hearing and Speech• Has extended hearing; hears things not said or

apparent to others; easily distracted by sounds.• Difficulty putting thoughts into words; speaks in

halting phrases; leaves sentences incomplete; stutters under stress; mispronounces long words, or transposes phrases, words, and syllables when speaking.

Dyslexia

• Writing and Motor Skills• Trouble with writing or copying; pencil grip is

unusual; handwriting varies or is illegible.• Clumsy, uncoordinated, poor at ball or team sports;

difficulties with fine and/or gross motor skills and tasks; prone to motion-sickness.

• Can be ambidextrous, and often confuses left/right, over/under.

Dyslexia

• Math and Time Management• Has difficulty telling time, managing time, learning

sequenced information or tasks, or being on time.• Computing math shows dependence on finger counting

and other tricks; knows answers, but can't do it on paper.• Can count, but has difficulty counting objects and dealing

with money.• Can do arithmetic, but fails word problems; cannot grasp

algebra or higher math.

Dyslexia

Memory and Cognition• Excellent long-term memory for experiences, locations, and faces.• Poor memory for sequences, facts and information that has not been

experienced.• Thinks primarily with images and feeling, not sounds or words (little internal

dialogue).Behavior, Health, Development and Personality• Extremely disorderly or compulsively orderly.• Can be class clown, trouble-maker, or too quiet.• Had unusually early or late developmental stages (talking, crawling, walking,

tying shoes).• Prone to ear infections; sensitive to foods, additives, and chemical products.• Can be an extra deep or light sleeper; bedwetting beyond appropriate age.• Unusually high or low tolerance for pain.• Strong sense of justice; emotionally sensitive; strives for perfection.• Mistakes and symptoms increase dramatically with confusion, time pressure,

emotional stress, or poor health.

Gifted children

Visually impaired

• Refer notes in book

Hearing impaired

• Refer notes in book