How to know if your child has special needs?

We teach our children to dream and aspire for the best. We want them to try their best and achieve what they deserve. However, keeping the focus at the finish line is not always enough. One may face a number of hurdles and challenges on their way to the finish line. They may need someone to guide and, at times, even iron out the speed breakers. We hope to know of our challenges in time in order to get enough time to think of a solution. The same applies when working with children who have special needs. Early intervention can help one to get a window to find creative and individualistic solutions for the needs of every child. However, quite often the question arises - how to know whether a child has special needs? The following pointers may act as a small checklist to know before you approach professional help.

1. Missing developmental milestones: Developmental milestones are skills and behaviours that are seen in children as they grow. These milestones are established at certain ages, depending on what the child is expected to have learned. Sometimes, children may have a delay and cope up later. For example, children are expected to start babbling by 6 months and eventually start saying their first few words by the time they are a year old. Some children may have a delayed progress and start talking later. However, sometimes missing several of these milestones may require further investigation. For example, children with autism miss out of early milestones such as social smiles, sitting upright or rolling over. Later milestones such as development of language and social and emotional abilities also see a delay. Hence, one of the early red flags is missing developmental milestones.

2. Difficulty in eye contact and responsiveness: At a very early age, children tend to turn towards things that are bright and make sound. When someone calls or claps, they follow the trail of sound. As a response, they may cry, laugh or try to mimic the sound they hear. Toys made for children often try to strengthen these behaviours. However, some children are unable to communicate while maintaining eye contact. They would rather find ways to avoid it. They would want to avoid social situations and may also be described as ‘aloof’. Children on the Autism Spectrum may show these behaviours coupled with idiosyncratic interests, repetitive behaviours and difficulty understanding abstract concepts. Playing a variety of games in various settings may help parents observe these behaviours.

3. Lack of impulse control and difficulty to focus: Lack of impulse control is when a person has difficulty controlling emotions and behaviours. Whereas, lack of focus is being unable to concentrate on the task at hand. At a superficial level, these may sound like regular occurrences. However, when these behaviours are played out in their extremities, they could be indicative of developmental difficulties. For instance, owing to their hyperactivity, children with ADHD are often described as ‘naughty’. Teachers may typically tell the parent that the child’s attention is always outside the classroom. They do not sit in a place for very long and often forget to complete their homework. Parents need to be attentive and keep an eye out to see if these behaviours are observed at home and other social settings as well.

4. Difficulty with reading and spellings: Certain difficulties faced by children become more apparent as they start growing up. Reading and writing are two such skills where challenges become apparent with time. When children start reading, all of them find it difficult to read new words. Lack of regular exposure to a certain language makes it harder for them to learn the language. However, for some children, these difficulties transcend beyond the regular challenges of reading. Children with dyslexia find it difficult to read and keep track of what they are reading. It could become so painstakingly difficult to read and remember spellings that they will avoid activities that require these skills. They may write shorter sentences or refuse to write altogether. When asked verbally, however, they may be able to articulate their thoughts better. They may lack confidence, especially, when it comes to activities like public speaking or reading aloud in class. They may take longer to process information and copying down notes from the board could also be a tiresome task. If any of these difficulties are observed, parents must immediately speak to the teachers, not just the present but also the former to gain more information.

5. Lack of hand-eye coordination and poor muscle control: Hand-eye coordination is essential for a number of everyday activities. From writing to tying shoelaces and even zipping one's bag, a lack of coordination becomes very apparent from a young age. Children with the diagnosis of cerebral palsy often face these difficulties. Even though parents may receive the diagnosis early, it is important to understand the difficulties that it brings along. Early indications are missing milestones such as holding up one’s head, sitting up and crawling. These children need to enrol in schools which will accommodate these difficulties and aid the child on an everyday basis.

While we understand the indicators that help us identify children with special needs, timely diagnosis and interventions can help manage their difficulties. One of the early steps, apart from support at home, is to find an appropriate educational institute that caters to the needs of the child. A number of special schools with trained professionals can help form an ideal and supportive environment for them.

So let’s remember a simple ABC rule when it comes to children - Actively observe them, benchmark their growth, and create a secure environment for them to prosper.

Remember their difficulties, revise our strategies, and rebuild a secure environment for them.

Author: Akshada Kulkarni

Teaching Faculty – Junior

The Aditya Birla Integrated School

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