JAGRUTHI AIKYA NEWSLETTER Issue#13

Jagruthi







AIKYA Newsletter

August 2014






From the Director

Friends,

Let's learn more on Learning Disabilities in this issue
which is invisible and therefore can be extremely
traumatic.

LD is a childhood disorder characterized by difficulty with
certain skills such as reading or writing in individuals with
normal intelligence. Learning disabilities affect the ability
to interpret what one sees and hears or the ability to link
information from different parts of the brain. These
limitations can show up in many ways as specific
difficulties with spoken and written language,
coordination, self-control, or attention. Such difficulties
extend to schoolwork and can impede learning to read or
write, or to do math.
Learning disabilities can be lifelong conditions that, in
some cases, affect many parts of a person's life: school or
work, daily routines, family life, and sometimes even
friendships and play. In some people, many overlapping
learning disabilities may be apparent. Other people may
have a single, isolated learning problem that has little
impact on other areas of their lives.



This is precisely how a child with a learning
disability might tend to see or read words.








The parents of an LD child go through a series of emotions
before truly accepting the child and his problem. These
stages are totally unpredictable. A parent may move from
stage-to-stage in random. Some parents skip over stages
while others remain in one stage for an extended period.

These stages could be as follows:

DENIAL: There is really nothing wrong! Thats the way I
was as a childnot to worry! Hell grow out of it!

BLAME: You baby him! You expect too much of him. Its
not from my side of the family.
FEAR: Maybe theyre not telling me the real problem! Is it
worse than they say? Will he ever marry? Go to college?
Graduate?

ENVY: Why cant he be like his sister or his cousins?

MOURNING: He could have been such a success, if not for
the learning disability!

BARGAINING: Wait till next year! Maybe the problem
will improve if we move!



ANGER: The teachers dont know anything. I hate this
neighborhood, this schoolthis teacher.

GUILT: My mother was right; I should have used cloth
diapers when he was a baby. I shouldnt have worked
during his first year. I am being punished for something
and my child is suffering as a result.

ISOLATION: Nobody else knows or cares about my child.
You and I are against the world. No one else
understands.

FLIGHT: Lets try this new therapyMadhu says it
works! We are going to go from clinic to clinic until
somebody tells me what I want to hear!



Again, the pattern of these reactions is totally
unpredictable. This situation is worsened by the fact that
frequently the mother and father may be involved in
different and conflicting stages at the same time (e.g.,
blame vs. denial; anger vs. guilt). This can make
communication very difficult.

The good news is that with proper help, most LD children
can make excellent progress. There are many successful
adults such as attorneys, business executives, physicians,
teachers, etc. who had learning disabilities but overcame
them and became successful. Now with special education
and many special materials, LD children can be helped
early.

- Parvathy Vishwanath


JAGRUTHI AIKYA NEWSLETTER | Issue #13 2


A parents support and understanding is the prime
requirement for a child to cope up with LD.


JAGRUTHI AIKYA NEWSLETTER | Issue #13 3


Learning Disabilities LD

Every individual with a learning disability is unique and shows a different combination and degree of difficulties. A
common characteristic among people with learning disabilities is uneven areas of ability, a weakness within a sea of
strengths. For instance a child with dyslexia who struggles with reading, writing and spelling may be very capable
of math and science. There often appears to be a gap between the individuals potential and actual achievement.

Learning Disabilities is an umbrella term describing a number of other, more specific learning disabilities:


























Dyslexia A language and reading disability
Dyscalculia Problems with arithmetic and math concepts
Dysgraphia A writing disorder resulting in illegibility
Dyspraxia Problems with motor coordination
Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD) Difficulty processing and remembering language-related
tasks
Non-verbal Learning Disorder (NvLD) Trouble with nonverbal cues, e.g. body language, poor
coordination, clumsy
Visual Perceptual Deficit (VPD) Reverses letters, cannot copy accurately, eyes hurt and itch, loses place,
struggles with cutting
Aphasia/Dysphasia trouble understanding spoken language, poor reading comprehension
LEARNING
DISABILITIES
Dyscalculia
Dysgraphia
Dyspraxia
Aphasia
VPD NvLD
CAPD
Dyslexia
LD An Overview


JAGRUTHI AIKYA NEWSLETTER | Issue #13 4



Learning Disabilities A Quick Glance

Disability Signs & Symptoms Strategies
Dyslexia Reads slowly and painfully
Has trouble with spelling
Difficulty with math
computations
Has difficulty with hand
writing
Use books with large print and
big spaces between lines
Use multi-sensory teaching
methods
Dyscalculia Difficulty understanding
concepts of place value,
quantity, etc
Difficulty in understanding
fractions
Challenged with handling
money
Allow use of fingers
Use diagrams for math
concepts
Use colored pencils to
differentiate problems
Dysgraphia Difficulty with cursive writing
Copying or writing is slow
Has unfinished words or
letters
Use oral exams
Allow use of wide-ruled paper
Provide notes to reduce the
amount of writing required
Dyspraxia Poor balance and appears
clumsy
Poor hand-eye coordination
Shows possible sensitivity to
touch
Distressed by loud noises
Avoid touching from behind or
getting too close
Whisper when working one to
one with the child
Central Auditory Processing
Disorder
Distracted by background
noises
Difficult to stay focussed
May process thoughts slowly
Allow 5-6 seconds to respond
for your questions
Stress key words and use
intonation
Non-verbal Learning Disorder Difficulty following multi-step
instructions
Trouble recognizing body
language
Implement a modified schedule
or creative programming
Give proper verbal cues
Visual Perceptual Deficit May have reversals: b for d; p
for q, etc
Cannot copy accurately
Allow use of computer
Use large print books
Restrict copying tasks
Aphasia/Dysphasia Difficulty understanding
spoken language
Poor reading comprehension
Use simple sentences
Write main concepts on board
Practice story mapping

You are not alone!
Parents are often baffled by the problems presented by a child with learning disabilities. Often this invisible disability
does not become obvious until a child reaches school age. Even then, difficulties may be subtle and hard to recognize.
Being told that your child has a disability can be as traumatizing as learning of a family member's sudden death. Many
parents are stunned by such news. Receiving such a message can produce overwhelming emotions of shock, disbelief,
anxiety, fear, and despair. Within that moment, research has shown that some parents cannot distinguish between the
unconscious wish for an idealized normal child from an unthinkable, sudden reality of one who is not.

For some parents, just trying to comprehend the disparity between their desires for their child and the disability that
exists compounds their emotional and intellectual efforts to adjust to the situation. They may feel grief, depression, or
shame. Some may also ask questions of "why me" and conclude that they are being punished for sins or bad acts of the
past. Depending on the severity of the disability and the magnitude of the demand for coping, a few parents may even
contemplate death for the child or themselves. These thoughts represent an all-encompassing need to achieve inner
peace.

Well, dear parents, in this battle you are not alone! In India, around 310% of school going population has been
diagnosed with various learning disabilities. All that is needed is whole-hearted acceptance and steps taken to rule out
the odds.


Tips for helping parents accept their child's disability
Raising a special child takes 180% of parenting. Often a spouse or siblings feel left out. Consider the following:
1. Family Reward Chart. List several special things to do. When a reward is due, have the LD/ADHD child pick from that
list. (It could be as simple as a trip to the park.) When the family goes or does the special event, others in the family can
compliment the special child because they are all rewarded. (Builds self esteem too!!)
2. Try to maintain family dinners as much as possible. Each family member should tell what happened during the day.
3. Mom and Dad need to support one another. If one has given a rule or punishment, the other should support and
enforce what has been said. NEVER allow the child to come between you and your spouse. If you disagree with what has
been done, do it later when the child is not around.
The above are only a few tips that help in raising an LD. Parent group can often offer more tips and most importantly,
offer you parental support that you need.
JAGRUTHI AIKYA NEWSLETTER | Issue #13 5


Together WE can make a DIFFERENCE!

AIKYA My Beacon
by Komalavalli

There are times when we find ourselves questioning,
What am I doing with my life? I am sure, many of you
out there would have asked yourself the same and
sometimes find it difficult to face the answer if it was not
what you thought you knew. Or rather, I was one who
dreaded the question clearly because I wasnt doing what I
ever wanted to do..! I have always believed that our
innermost desires know way better than our questioning
and rational minds. At one point, this thought kept hitting
me hard, time and again and I found myself wavering
everywhere like a lost traveler in a terrifying tempest,
trying to quench my quest for the very question. And then,
AIKYA happened.

It was a warm Monday morning as I kept walking the busy
roads of Mylapore, trying to find AIKYAs location. And
when I finally reached the orange building, I did a double
take at the sign board that said Enter at your own risk!
Only a moment later did I read the next line Beware of
dogs. Having startled thus by the sign board, I chuckled to
myself and entered through the creaky black iron gate with
no idea what to expect next. And as I was waiting there in
the front room, a small boy with neatly combed hair and
tidy uniform peeped out from behind a door and gave me a
cheerful smile; I smiled back. It was, indeed, not what I had
expected and that cleared all the fog around my mind.

There was a wooden cupboard nearby, inside I saw
beautiful pearl necklaces, garlands made of plastic flowers,
lot more and a small crayon sketch of the sun rising
between two mountains, drawn on the white notice board.
It took me by surprise when I learnt from Ms. Parvathy
Vishwanath, the Founder-Director, that the kids there were
the owners of those wonderful creations. And thus began
my days at AIKYA and each day was a surprise with those
kids.

My actual interaction with the kids began the next day. The
classes had already begun when I entered. There was a
group of 5 children sitting with their teachers and carefully
writing something. I went there and was thinking, unsure
how to start. Just then a question came from a boy, Are
you our teacher? I was clearly surprised by that and

before I could open my mouth to answer, another dart,
Which subject? All I could do was manage a smile and
greeted them. I got a chorus Good morning, Miss!
with a familiar tone that reminded me of my school
days. And with that came one more question from
another boy, Hi, I am Kumail. What is your name? I
couldnt hide my surprise and introduced myself and
told that I will be taking computers for them. And from
that day, I am fondly called the Computer Miss.



These kids, they love to learn computers and jump
around for their turns and reserve schedules even
before the day starts. Each one is so unique that one
gets to learn a lot from them, each day. They are taught
to type using MS Word and did I mention fingering..?
Yes, they are well-versed at that. I am a mess when it
comes to fingering the keys and in fact, I have started to
learn how to actually type from one of them! One
thing that astounds me every time about these kids is
that, they are never superficial. They do things
meticulously and when they finish something it is
always perfect. They never get tired of trying
something new and will never give you No for an
answer.

I owe my sincere thanks to Parvathy Ma'am for letting
me be a part of AIKYA and the bigger cause for which
she has dedicated herself. Gone are the days when I
groggily got up for work, disinterested. Now, every
dawn reminds me how much being at AIKYA has
changed my life and has indeed been my beacon a
guiding light for the lost traveler.!
JAGRUTHI AIKYA NEWSLETTER | Issue #13 6



Shop, shop all the way!

Say Yoga, They Go Gaga
JAGRUTHI AIKYA NEWSLETTER | Issue #13 7



Teacher: Who wants to go veggie shopping?
Kids (in unison and among themselves): Me Me Me!
Hey you went last week. Its my turn now.

Our kids at AIKYA are taken for weekly grocery shopping
and this is the typical scenario one would get to see when
that time of the week comes. They are so enthusiastic to
venture out and explore the neighborhood. And when it
comes to colorful grocery shopping all hands will be up in
the air!
They do not hesitate to interact with the staff there and
without any chaos pick the vegetables carefully and wait
to pay bills on their own. Before the staff calculates with
the computer, these kids are so fast and are ready with the
amount to be paid. After happily getting back, they share
the experience with their friends and report to the
teachers with the balance amount.

And their calculation seldom goes wrong..!




Our kids shopping at the nearby grocery shop,
settling bills on their own and reporting their
purchase. Like everyone, they love shopping too!!

Yoga Say this word and the kids jump up and down. It
is an integral part of anyones daily routine and our kids
here have known this better.
At the strike of 11, all of them get eager and keep
reminding their teachers that it was time for their yoga
sessions. They assemble in the hall, clear the furniture
on their way; few boys bring mats and lay them on the
floor and within minutes all are set.
And the amazing part is, they are all so well trained that
at the mention of a postures name they twist their
bodies gracefully and astound you like pros!
The dedication and discipline that they show during
their yoga sessions is sure to take anyone by surprise.

About AIKYA
Jagruthi
AIKYA aims to Improve and enhance functional capabilities of persons with special needs
like Autism, ADHD, DS and other Learning Disorders..

Early Intervention Programs for Children with delayed development (0-3 Years)
School for children with ADHD, Autism, DS, Learning Disabilities and Slow learners
Therapy services
Vocational training
Training in sports, music, dance, yoga, instrumental music
Training in computers
Recreation Centre with indoor sports and GYM
Work Centre for adults
Training and counseling for parents of children with special needs
Short term training courses for parents and volunteers
-----------------------------

Do you want to volunteer with AIKYA?

Please call 9444960643 or mail to AIKYAfoundation1989@gmail.com



Where are we located?

2/9, Karpagambal Nagar Main Road,
Luz, Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004. Mobile: 9444960643.

Support us: Volunteer / Donate / adopt a project / adopt a child
Visit our Website: www.aikya.org
Donate: http://www.AIKYA.org/payment.asp


Connect with us:
JAGRUTHI AIKYA NEWSLETTER | Issue #13 8




Myths about LD
1. Individuals with LD
have low intelligence
2. LD can be cured
3. Adults dont have LD
4. The only kind of LD is
Dyslexia
5. Watching too much TV
causes LD
6. Vaccinations can cause
LD
Facts about LD
1. There is no
connection between LD
and low IQ
2. LD cannot be cured
but managed
3. Children with LD
become adults with LD
4. There are many
types of LD:
Dyscalculia,
Dysgraphia, etc
5. Watching TV does
not cause LD though it
is good to avoid
6. Vaccinations do not
cause LD
Jagruthi