SHAH ALAM: More than 93,000 of the 4.9 million students in public schools were categorised as special needs children in 2020.
Although there are several sub-categories of children with special needs, 77,000 of them are in the learning-disability category. The number of students diagnosed with the problem has been increasing every year.
Experts and teachers believe that many more have gone undiagnosed due to several reasons, one of which is refusal by parents to accept that their children are in need of special education.
For special needs children, early intervention can enhance child development as it emphasises the prevention of serious problems.
theSun reached out to psychologist Dr Ignatius Lee Kuan Beng to understand more about early intervention.
“The early intervention programme for children with learning disabilities is generally aimed at teaching skills to children.”
He said skills teaching to children with autism would eventually increase their play skills and social interaction with parents and peers, lead to language development and help decrease behavioural problems.
“It would also improve their communication and adaptation skills, attention and focus.”
Lee said parallel with child development, there would be an increase in parental skills, where parents would find their stress levels decreasing.
He said the most important aspect of early intervention is that children are supported in all aspects in the home environment where they spend most of their time.
“I believe parents are the best teachers and the home is the best school. Early intervention addresses communication skills, helps children to learn to converse with others, play, improves attention skills while playing in groups, assists social interaction and teaches proper behaviour.”
He said that there would be improvements in behaviour, flexibility, learning, self-care as well as skills involving personal and community life, and at the same time help in the preparation to attend regular schools.
“The integration of children in regular day-care centres and kindergartens will help them integrate later in the school environment.”
He said early diagnosis could help families get the support they need such as access to voluntary agencies and other social services.
“Children with disabilities such as autism disorder can be identified as early as 18 months. Most parents identify developmental delays in the second year of life.”
Lee said some early indicators that a child may need help in preschool, include problems with eye-contact, failure to respond to his name, indifference to affection, lack of interest in interacting with other children as well as limited imaginary play, imitation and speech.
For older children, some telltale signs that they might need help are when they face problems making friends, lack reciprocal conversation and have trouble learning new lessons.
He added parents may seek the help of a paediatrician, rehabilitation doctor or psychologist.
Lee said the early intervention programme for children with learning disabilities is generally aimed at teaching skills to children.
