Research Articles Base: Psychological Problems Of Special Children

Social and Psychological Problems of Special Children

Social and Psychological Problems of Special Children                 Special child is an umbrella term that encompasses a staggering array of   disability diagnoses. Special children may associate physical disabilities such as   visual impairment, learning disabilities like dysphasia, or profound mental   retardation which results to developmental delay of growth of the child. These   special children needs a unique method in teaching to attend their disability, such   as visually impaired people use Braille system in reading and writing.               A family of a child with special needs should have a great deal of patience   and love in raising the child. Some special children particularly those mentally   retarded cannot live on their own without proper guidance. For some parents with   a special child, they mourn for the lost potentials of their kid. But for some more   optimistic parents, they find it as a challenge and so simple triumphs of their child   is sweeter. According to studies, parents of children with special needs are often   more flexible, patient, compassionate, persevere and resilient than other parents.               In Pakistan, education for children with special needs goes back even   farther from the history of Pakistan itself. In 1906, the earliest school for disabled   children was established in Lahore dedicating to attend to the education needs of   special children. Rapid developments on the institutions promoting special   education started in the 1980s when the United Nations declared 1981 as the   International Year of the Disabled.   However, despite the efforts of the family in creating a normal environment   for the special child, problems are not avoidable triggered from other intervening   factors.                 Social interaction is heavily affected by the stigma of disabilities of special   children. There is the unjust stereotype that children’s disabilities are contagious   and anyone who gets near to them will catch their disability, just like a cold or flu.   People may seem uncomfortable being around with disabled children because   they often look and sound different, particularly when they are using special   equipment such as wheelchair or hearing aid. Even some mean and narrow-   minded people mock them causing the self-esteem of special children to deflate.   Sometimes, non-disabled kids do not want to play with special children leaving   the latter unsure of himself.               Also, there is the prejudice that children with learning disability are not as   smart as other children. Learning disabled children have normal hearing and   eyesight, but they have trouble learning because disparity in the brain sensors   receive, process and respond differently to the information being relied. LD   children have difficulty learning how to read, write, memorize and solve math   problems. They also have hard time focusing attention and easily confused by   details. They are easily frustrated causing their morale to stoop down low. But, its   does not necessarily means that they are dull compared to normal kids. Some   learning disabled children have above average intelligence and gifted with talents   such as music prodigy and excellent painting talents. But, their learning   disabilities overshadow their hidden gifts.               Moreover, the society is seeing the mentally retarded people as   dependent for their whole life because they are unable to care for themselves.   When in fact is, mental disability does only slows down the learning capability but   it doesn’t mean that they don’t absorb at all what you’re teaching them. With   proper guidance in caring for themselves and attending to their own basic needs,   they could live on their own when they are older.               Efforts in boosting the knowledge and self-esteem of special children by   educating them and treating them with care would be futile if the society they live   in would not accept them as productive citizens. Social and psychological   problems of special children will continue if the stigmas and stereotypes would   not be freed inside the narrow mind of people. Non-disabled people should know   more because they can learn and understand better.                                                         References: Miles, Christine, Mobilising Skills for Children with Learning Difficulties in Pakistan: A Personal Cross-cultural Experience, http://www.eenet.org.uk/ Causal attributions and parental attitudes toward children with disabilities in the United States and Pakistan, June 2007, http://goliath.ecnext.com   Khalid, Mariyam, No Special Treatment, January 2010, http://www.nextstepforward.net       Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Social and Psychological Problems of Special Children

Social and Psychological Problems of Special Children Special child is an umbrella term that encompasses a sta...