Dubai: Parents and experts on children with learning difficulties say accepting your child’s condition instead of denying it is the best way to help them excel and flourish both academically and socially.

When B.K.’s daughter was six years old, she noticed that she was behind her peers in reading and writing but did not think much of it until one day her daughter packed her bag and left the classroom.

“She was frustrated because she was not able to understand what her peers seemed to have no problem understanding.”

The school counsellor, who spoke to B.K.’s daughter, diagnosed the child with dyslexia and, with the help of the school and counselling from a Dubai- based reading centre after school, B.K. said her daughter’s situation improved within months.

“The school exempted her from certain courses like Arabic as a second language and she received modified questions for her exams where the teachers would ask the same questions but in a different way. In two months she was settled and she was scoring well in school.”

B.K. said there is a lack of awareness in the country about learning difficulties, which is why many parents might resist the idea of their children having the problem.

“There is not much awareness here, so I did not know what to expect. Finding a reading centre was also hard here, there are much more in India. When I found one, they were really good but expensive.”

Rudolf Stockling, Clinical Director, Lexicon Reading Centre, said not providing children with learning difficulties with the help they need can be termed as child abuse.

“In some cultures, it is customary to brush this issue under the carpet, which can lead to the children suffering. Under the UAE Ministry of Interior’s Child Protection Policy, such actions which are considered parental neglect, are termed as child abuse,” the expert said.

Stockling said it is quite vital that guardians of children with learning difficulties acknowledge the challenges that their children face. At the same time they must realise that these challenges can be overcome. It is essential that energy is utilised on recognising and reinforcing the child’s strengths which is required in overcoming the challenges. A child must understand that finding reading or understanding maths difficult is not linked to their value as a person. It may be the result of a different approach of learning and can be overcome through efficient teaching and this is a tremendous relief for children and parents.

Thea Myhrvold, founder of www.Teachmenow.com, an online portal that provides students and teachers with a platform to offer or take tutoring classes online, also said students with learning difficulties should be provided with the support they need.

“If children with learning difficulties do not get the help they need they can get frustrated and angry. They can lose there willingness to learn and will not enjoy their school experience,” said Myhrvold who has six years tutoring experience internationally, including students who have learning difficulties.

Another parent who did not want to be named also believes schools should provide classes to support these students for free.

“Parents do not want to acknowledge that their children have learning difficulties, which is wrong because how can they get their child the help they need. Besides it is nothing to be ashamed of because once they get the extra attention they can function like any child.”

The mother of a dyslexic child said she saw red flags regarding her child having some learning difficulties at the age four.

“In pre-school they told me that he talks less than the other students, it was difficult for him to draw a straight line, something most children would have no problem doing and he had difficulties reading so he had many delayed milestones,”

The parent said her child started getting help from a learning centre five times a week as part of school.

“I also started teaching my child at home in different ways that are fun and simple. After the special attention he received his reading and writing is up to par with the rest of his class. He is also blessed in maths and he gets A plus in it.”