Anxiety,
depression and disruptive behaviour may be due to underlying learning
and/or intellectual disability. These may manifest as school refusal or
poor academic performances.
Some information on learning and/or intellectual disability:
Dyslexia (a reading disorder), for example, is one type of learning disorder. For intellectual disability,
global low intellectual functioning accompanied by significant
impairments in adaptive functioning are hallmarks of the condition. Not
every child/adolescent with a learning disorder or intellectual
disability must be placed in a formal Special Education (SPED) School.
Having a comprehensive cognitive (e.g. IQ), academic/learning and adaptive functioning assessments are
critical; with these assessments, the child/adolescent can then be
recommended to receive the appropriate type of school education and
subsequent relevant training to cater to the child’s level of cognitive
and functioning abilities. Additional interventions such as
speech-language therapy, occupational therapy and psychological therapy
will likely be beneficial too.
These
collective interventions aim to help the child/adolescent reduce the
risk and level of anxiety, depression or disruptive behaviours, leading
to maximal learning potential and achievement in life.
