A child with special needs is a broad term. The term ‘Clinical Diagnostic Special Need’ describes the disability of an individual who specifically requires support and assistance in functional development. It can be medical, psychological or psychological. The average score of a child with special needs may be higher or lower than that of the general population.
In simple terms, children who require special education, special treatment or measures due to sensory, intellectual or physical disabilities are called children with special needs.
An IQ below 70 to 75 indicates an intellectual disability, according to the National Advocacy Center for Children with Special Needs (known as NIHCY). In many cases an IQ of 120 or above may indicate intellectual disability based on medical diagnosis. The symptoms of children with special needs are different and obvious. They can be divided into four main categories. Physical, Developmental, Behavioral/emotional and Sensory-impaired. Physical symptoms of multiple sclerosis, allergies, asthma, juvenile arthritis, leukemia, muscular dystrophy and epilepsy are noticeable. Cleft lip and missing limbs are also included
Developmental disabilities include Down syndrome, autism, ADHD, cerebral palsy, Asperger syndrome, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, dyspraxia, aphasia or dysphasia, auditory processing disorders, visual processing disorders. Behavioral and emotional disorders including obsessive compulsive disorder and bipolar with dissociation, traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression and attention deficit (hyperactivity) disorders are notable.
Sensory-impaired symptoms include blindness, deafness or limited hearing, visual impairment.
If the special needs pattern is severe in educational attendance and a student’s IQ is between 20 and 35, the student is classified as a severe case. Schools need the support of these students and provide a variety of services tailored to their success in different settings.
Why a child is born with a disability, there is still no completely correct scientific explanation. However, according to doctors and experts, premature or low birth weight, post-natal drug, alcohol or tobacco use, poor nutrition during pregnancy i.e. lack of nutritious food, vitamins, protein or iron in the diet, exposure to high levels of environmental toxins (such as lead) by the mother or child. ), infection early in pregnancy or childhood, trauma and stressful periods…etc may be involved.
Children with special needs may be born with syndromes, terminal diseases, profound cognitive impairments or severe emotional problems. Other children may have special needs—learning disabilities, food allergies, mental retardation, or panic disorders. The challenges of such children’s needs are more severe than those of typical children and may be life-long challenges.
In this case, children with special needs require additional support and additional services. Their extra guidance helps meet educational, social, emotional and sometimes medical milestones. They may need lifelong guidance and support to deal with everyday problems of housing, employment, social inclusion and financial transactions.
Special education programs for children with special needs are approved by the United States Department of Education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This act defines appropriate measures for early intervention services for children with special needs, free public special education and related services.
Early intervention is an important step in helping children with special needs fulfill their academic, emotional and social potential. Early intervention refers to a process that assesses a child’s developmental potential early on.
Children with special needs may have differences in development and behavior. It is good to watch for some early signs as the baby grows. For example, if the baby doesn’t make any sound or smile before 6 months of age, doesn’t respond to loud sounds or doesn’t try to follow sounds and voices, has trouble holding the head even after 3 months of age, follows an object or person with eyes. Difficulty walking, stiff arms or legs and abnormal body posture…etc.
Things to watch for from 6 months to 1 year are—difficulty discovering simple things like finding something hidden, trouble responding to calls from one side of the room to another, trouble standing up, any Difficulty reaching or picking up objects, not reacting to games like peek-a-boo, not initially saying simple words like ‘mama’ or ‘daddy’—repeating behaviors that hurt Can, like biting oneself or hitting the head…etc.
If you notice any such symptoms, you must consult a Special Educator immediately
Author
Sradhanjali Dasgupta
Phd Scholar
