Parents shouldn’t make mistake of comparing child with others

My son is studying in class V. I am quite worried about his reading difficulty. He seems to be a very slow reader. There has been some improvement. However, I still feel he cannot read as good as his other peers. He sometimes confuses ‘b’ as ‘d’ and ‘d’ as ‘b’ while also struggling with sentence formation in his mind. He is very good at most other extracurricular activities. Please advice what I can do to overcome the learning disability. I must congratulate you on the detailed observation you have made on the type of your son’s reading difficulties and errors. From what I understand it’s likely he has dyslexia, a type of learning disability.

You need to visit a special educator or psychologist in order to make a correct evaluation and then he would require remedial coaching.

It is good to remember, Learning disability does not mean a low intelligence. In fact, many highly intelligent people had learning disabilities and they were very successful in life.

There are some general words of advice. Do not compare him with other children. Comparisons usually show a child’s deficiencies rather than his strengths.

Your child may for instance, be good at drawing, music or football.

If s/he is, then emphasizing on these strengths rather than focusing on his deficiencies will help him.

Finally, all children like stories and you may get your child interested in diverse intellectual pursuits. Comprehending a story would be a motivation in this exercise, and spelling or pronouncing would be an improvement seen along side.

Silent reading is also a good way to make a child read a lot. Inclusive classroom settings will go a long way in helping your child.

Do keep in touch with the school authorities for the possible help and special evaluation needs of the child. I am a school counsellor. One of the students studying in class IX seems to be severely withdrawn and disengaged during school hours. She is usually quiet, always stays aloof and avoids the company of her classmates. Her homework is usually incomplete and when enquired by the teacher about the same, she is indifferent in her response. Please suggest what kind of psychosocial support can I offer to this student. During rapid development years, children are typically much less aware of their internal experience than adults, and they may lack the ability to recognize their core moods and the accurate expression of their feelings.

When provided with feedback about their performance such as a grade on a test, a comment from a teacher about their classroom behavior, or an offhand joke from a friend about the way their hair looks in the morningstudents with mood disorder interpret that feedback in the most negative manner possible. Often, they may be unaware of why they are feeling the way they are, or they may even be unable to identify the feelings they are experiencing .

You, in your capacity as a counsellor, can make a lot of difference. with instance family involvement help the student get aware of her feelings, emphasizing the connections between events, thoughts and feelings, challenging pessimistic thinking and creating a network of support.

A child’s interest in school activities can be increased by maximizing opportunities for their success and by increasing engagement in pleasant events.

School counselors can first strive to fully understand both the verbal and nonverbal messages from students partnering the school and the family, and communicate this understanding back to the student with lots of empathy.

Remember, these mood disorders are linked to negative patterns of thinking, negative patterns of isolative or irritable behavior, and social problems. Strategies such as use of a thought diary can be of great help.

Lives of students with mood disorders can be improved by the use of strategies such as role-playing, building a social vocabulary, and creating a network of support at school.

Peer support will be a huge solace for the student. The author is a senior psychiatrist and in charge, Institute of Life Skills and Mental Health Promotion, Moolchand Med City, New Delhi. Send him an email at hteducation@hindustantimes.com, marked Dr Nagpal.