Susanta Kumar Padhy1, Sonu Goel2, Shyam Sinder Das3, Siddharth Sarkar4, Vijaylaxmi Sharma3, Mahima Panigrahi5. 1. Department of Psychiatry, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Sector 12, Chandigarh, 160012, India. susanta.pgi30@yahoo.in. 2. Department of School of Public Health, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India. 3. Department of School of Public Health, Punjab University, Chandigarh, India. 4. Department of Psychiatry, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Sector 12, Chandigarh, 160012, India. 5. Department of Community Medicine, Giansagar Medical College, Bannur, India.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence and patterns of learning disabilities (LD) in school going children in a northern city of India. METHODS: The present cross-sectional study comprised of three-staged screening procedure for assessing learning disabilities of 3rd and 4th grade students studying in government schools. The first stage comprised of the teacher identifying at-risk student. In the second stage, teachers assessed at-risk students using Specific Learning Disability-Screening Questionnaire (SLD-SQ). The third stage comprised of assessment of the screen positive students using Brigance Diagnostic Inventory (BDI) part of NIMHANS Index of Specific Learning Disabilities for identifying the cases of LD. RESULTS: A total of 1211 (33.6%) children out of the total screened (n = 3600) were identified as at-risk by the teachers at the first stage. Of them, 360 were found to screen positive on the second stage using SLD-SQ. The most common deficits were missing out words or sentences while reading, misplacing letters or words while reading or writing, and making frequent mistake in spelling while writing or reading. Of these, 108 children were confirmed to have learning disability on the third stage using BDI, which represented 3.08% of the total population. CONCLUSIONS: Learning disability is an important concern in young school aged children. Early identification of such students can help in early institution of intervention and suitable modifications in teaching techniques.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence and patterns of learning disabilities (LD) in school going children in a northern city of India. METHODS: The present cross-sectional study comprised of three-staged screening procedure for assessing learning disabilities of 3rd and 4th grade students studying in government schools. The first stage comprised of the teacher identifying at-risk student. In the second stage, teachers assessed at-risk students using Specific Learning Disability-Screening Questionnaire (SLD-SQ). The third stage comprised of assessment of the screen positive students using Brigance Diagnostic Inventory (BDI) part of NIMHANS Index of Specific Learning Disabilities for identifying the cases of LD. RESULTS: A total of 1211 (33.6%) children out of the total screened (n = 3600) were identified as at-risk by the teachers at the first stage. Of them, 360 were found to screen positive on the second stage using SLD-SQ. The most common deficits were missing out words or sentences while reading, misplacing letters or words while reading or writing, and making frequent mistake in spelling while writing or reading. Of these, 108 children were confirmed to have learning disability on the third stage using BDI, which represented 3.08% of the total population. CONCLUSIONS:Learning disability is an important concern in young school aged children. Early identification of such students can help in early institution of intervention and suitable modifications in teaching techniques.
Entities:
Keywords:
India; Learning disability; Prevalence; Young children
Authors: Shoba Srinath; Satish Chandra Girimaji; G Gururaj; Shekhar Seshadri; D K Subbakrishna; Poornima Bhola; Narender Kumar Journal: Indian J Med Res Date: 2005-07 Impact factor: 2.375