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The clinic at Khairatabad is a colourful picture of varied hues. Painted clay pots and colour sketches made by children adorn the walls. Children with LD include one section of those given additional support here. A few parents, as varied as software engineers and doctors, await their turn to meet the special educators.

Suruchi Bhargav, a special educator who equipped herself to teach children with LD after her son was diagnosed with the same, says, “Slow learning children can be born to intelligent, educated parents as well. The parents’ first reaction is ‘why me?’ ‘we both are academic hi-fliers. Our child cannot be dyslexic?’ Psychologist referals are frowned upon. Even today, they resist saying, ‘my child is not mad’.”

Lack of awareness among parents and teachers, she says, hampers the progress of children with LD. “Even when parents identify the problem, teachers feel that the parent is coming up with excuses for the child’s lack of concentration. When both the teacher and the parent take longer to identify the problem, the damage is done. The child is coaxed, compared with others, resulting in loss of self esteem.” Suruchi says more than corporal punishment, psychological trauma can torment a child.

Younger children with LD can be easily moulded. In some cases the older children find it tough to adapt and in certain cases, they themselves are resolved and cooperate better. She cites the case of a standard VIII student from Vidyaranya who was identified to be a slow learner only last year. What’s discomforting is that most schools do not have the mandatory special educator and a psychologist on board. Further, schools willing to admit LD children try to isolate the child or ask the parent to accompany to help handle temper tantrums.

Lakshmi Ravindra says parents are unaware that the education board has special concessions for such children – extra time to complete the exam, overlook spelling errors, more marks for oral tests, etc. “The child can produce a copy of the board’s sanction. The evaluator will take this into account,” she says.

“Schools are keen to maintain 100 per cent pass percentage for the board exams and even out slow learners by Std VII or VIII,” says Suruchi. Archana Reddy, a mother of a nine-year-old slow learner, is now doing a course to teach children like her daughter. She says, “The need of the hour is better understanding in schools.” She recalls how her daughter was denied admission in leading schools.

Shweta Srivastav, a mother of an autistic son says, “Teachers should have an open heart and an open mind.” A leading school made her run pillar to post for documents and finally cited the change in board of directors and policies to not admit her son. Now doing a course to teach such children, she says, “I understand his temper tantrums and it’s easier for me to teach him now.”

Children attending regular schools can take up additional help from special schools where work is like play. They are first taught personal skills, then social and academic skills. Children are at ease with special educators because they are not judged here. Suruchi adds, “It takes at least one year for the child to show improvement. In this time, some parents lose interest and discontinue. LD is a life long process despite showing improvement.”

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