I just decided to revisit this link to understand the nature of our work lest we forget. I would like to pick up some statements that impress me (with comments added in italics).
For many, undetected learning disabilities create a lifelong pattern of frustration and failure. Unable to learn to read or write adequately or to handle simple numerical calculations, they are forced into a lifetime of underemployment or unemployment.
My Comment: How do parents know if their child is learning disabled? A child who suffers from poor eyesight can visit an opthalmologist for comprehensive tests but where do a child with suspected learning difficulty go for evaluation? Often parents are ignorant of available facilities and are likely to leave their child uncared and unnurtured at home. At PBSNS we do not treat LD, it is beyond our expertise. What we do is provide opportunities to help LD persons bring forth their hidden or underdeveloped skills.
Other possible outcomes for individuals with learning disabilities who have not received appropriate intervention or help are low self image, teenage pregnancy, suicide, family instability, substance abuse, depression, significant psychiatric problems, and unemployment. They may end up on welfare, homeless, or in prison.
My Comment: Typically we observed new trainees to be quiet or lacking confidence when they first join the centre. This may be normal as they need time to adjust to new environments like normal persons. But at PBSNS our joy is to see such LD persons surprising us with abilities we thought were untrainable. Low self esteem is a common problem that we can definitely help by fostering a warm and loving work environment. We do have a suicide case but she has gain tremendous confidence with us. I believe we have helped her out of her depression through encouragement and love. LD people need lots of love to grow out of their perceived problems.
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