Introduction

Knowing about children with SEN

The proportion of SLD, also known as the "invisible disability", is the highest among these eight SEN and about 10 per cent of students suffer from different levels of SLD. At present, many children with SLD are still being misunderstood and regarded as "lazy and academically unmotivated". If a child is found writing slower than other children of the same age, having difficulty in holding pens and eye-hand coordination, using inadequate or excessive force in writing, writing words out of proportion and exceeding the prescribed area, always mixing up alphabets and words or skipping words or lines while reading, his parents should seek assistance as soon as possible.

Under the support of the EDB, there are identification and assessment tools available for various SEN. Parents suspecting that their children have SEN may seek assistance from the EDB or school. In recent years, the EDB has attached importance to early identification and counselling as it has been affirmed that the younger a child is provided with training and assistance, the more effective the result will be. The prime time for training and assistance is when the child is at pre-school and early primary age. Beyond this age, the level of improvement will be lower.

Parent support and encouragement

To enhance their children's ability to overcome disabilities, parents may also seek other training, such as occupational therapy, physiotherapy, reading and writing abilities enhancement exercises, multi-sensory learning activities, attention improvement training, and interactive story-telling sessions. However, as these services are seriously insufficient in Hong Kong, parents usually have to make a huge effort before they can get appropriate services.

The biggest challenge for parents is their genuine acceptance of their children with SEN. These parents have a lot of hard times and many will have a lot of anxiety when their children do not want to do or study schoolwork. During examination periods, the tension in their families will heighten. Some parents may blame or mete out corporal punishment to their kids, while others may feel mentally and physically exhausted. In fact, it is essential for these parents to share their worries, and establish mutual support with others who are in the same boat.

How can parents relieve their distress? How to re-build parent-children relationship? How to appreciate the experience of growing together with their children? All these require parents' tremendous efforts. With parents' understanding, support and love, children will be able to overcome difficulties and hardship. Some people pose this question: "If parents, because of their children, develop a more loving heart and are willing to learn about care, unconditional love and acceptance, is the birth of their children the greatest blessing in their life?"

PS & SR Branch Welfare Service Group