Introduction
It is fair to notice that all people and children are very different. For some kids, studying is very easy because they have many friends, wealthy and responsible parents, proper social skills and good health. However, some children and teenagers have difficulties with concentration or acquiring basic learning abilities. Most common include physical or mental conditions, issues with behavior, or an unpleasant environment. All children have certain needs like love, support and communication with adults and peers. Nevertheless, the needs of the second group of kids with learning disabilities are more extended. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the difference between basic and additional support needs, talk about autism, dyslexia, ad family issues, and discuss whether there are supporting resources and professionals for such teenagers in Scotland.
Basic Needs
Generally, basic needs are those elements that all people require on a daily basis; without them, humans cannot have a long and healthy life. In order for children and teenagers to have energy and concentration for their studies and for adults to be able to work, it is vital to receive a number of essential resources. Usually, food, water, financial stability, housing and medical care are included in the list of basic human needs.
Several professionals, however, defined their own views on basic needs. For example, according to an American psychologist Abraham Harold Maslow, they may be divided into five hierarchical layers, and before trying to address the fifth layer, it is essential to satisfy the previous ones (McLeod, 2020). These needs are “physiological (food and clothing), safety (job security), love and belonging needs (friendship), esteem, and self-actualization” (McLeod, 2020, para. 2). Further, an Austrian-British child psychologist Mia Keller Pringle identified that the basic needs of kids are responsibility, recognition, praise, new experiences, love and security (The Children’s Hearings System in Scotland, 2013, p. 55). Finally, Susanne Zeedyk believes that kids’ basic needs are emotional ones.
Additional Support Needs
As mentioned above, additional support needs are relevant for a particular group of children. Generally, such kids and adolescents struggle with reading, writing, concentration or any other element of the studying process (Kyle Academy, n.d.). These difficulties may arise from a physical or mental disability. Autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, hydrocephalus, ADHD, dyslexia, or attachment disorder are among such conditions (Welsh Joint Education Committee, 2019). What is more, a child may be completely healthy, but the environment in which he or she lives or studies can negatively affect the development and learning skills.
For instance, problems in the family, school bullying, lack of friends and unstable financial situations can also worsen children’s ability and desire to concentrate and have adequate classroom performance. Therefore, these young kids and teenagers need additional support from teachers, families and professionals (Kyle Academy, n.d.). While problems with health are usually long-term, issues like household problems are short-term needs.
Autism Spectrum Disorder
As mentioned above, autism is one of the many additional special needs. It is a permanent condition that affects children’s daily lives and prevents them from proper development. Some signs of autism in kids include avoidance of eye contact, repetitive movements or phrases, not responding to their name and being less talkative than peers (National Health Service, n.d.). Autistic teenagers often feel overwhelmed or upset by the surrounding sounds or lights and take much longer to understand and remember new information. These are the reasons why they may have severe difficulties with their studies.
Moreover, since they are usually oversensitive to specific things and can experience pain or lack understanding of what is happening around them, kids with autism may show aggression. Other problems with their behavior include stimming (repetitive spinning, jumping, or hand flapping) or meltdowns, which is a complete loss of control (National Health Service, n.d.). While some of these teenagers are nonverbal, others find it challenging to have ordinary conversations. Consequently, autism spectrum disorder does not allow children to develop their learning and social skills and affects their communication and behavior.
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is another condition that makes young students have much lower academic performance. Overall, dyslexia is a long-term neurological difference that affects children’s education and communication skills, primarily reading and writing (British Dyslexia Association, n.d.). Such students also find it challenging to process and remember information, which is why they cannot properly acquire literary skills. All children with dyslexia experience it in a unique way (Connor, 2018). Considering the issues listed above, and since children with dyslexia have “communication problems in their brain,” with their brain activity being different, they have issues with language and communication (Connor, 2018, para. 1). The most common issues among kids of primary age are slow reading and spoken or written language, inability to express their thoughts correctly and confusion of information. They also tend to have poor motor skills and an inability to concentrate (British Dyslexia Association, n.d.). As for their behavior, such kids are easily distracted, excessively tired and may seem dreamy.
Family Circumstances
Household issues are an example of short-term additional support needs. It is hard to disagree that parents and their way of life usually strongly impact children and their development and behavior. If kids are from families in which there are healthy, supportive and loving relationships, it is more likely that they do not have serious problems with studies. However, it may happen that an adverse family environment decreases kids’ development of communication skills.
For example, young children with parents who have alcohol or drug addiction tend to be very shy, quiet and inattentive or, on the contrary, show excessive signs of aggression. If they also experience domestic violence, these teenagers are probably afraid of trusting adults, talking about their problems and asking for help; instead, they may want to bully other kids into feeling more powerful. Therefore, these adverse circumstances can make a child become either quieter or more aggressive and deprive them of the desire to study. Consequently, such students have lower classroom performance and require additional support from teachers, friends and professionals.
Available Services
Thankfully, there are many effective services that strive to help disabled children and their families. One such service available in Scotland is the Council for the Registration of Schools Teaching Dyslexic Pupils (CReSTeD) (Special Needs Guide, n.d.). It was established in 1989, and the primary purpose of this charity organization is to assist parents in finding a proper educational establishment for their kids with various conditions, including dyslexia. CReSTeD “includes representatives from the BDA, Dyslexia Action, Dyslexia-SpLD Trust, the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre, educational psychologists and schools,” and a consultant visits various establishments to check whether they meet the necessary criteria to educate kids with dyslexia (Special Needs Guide, n.d., para. 2). Further, another resource is Dyslexia Scotland – “a national charity dedicated to enabling people with dyslexia in Scotland to realize their potential” (Dyslexia Scotland, 2022). This organization has a Cross-Party Group on Dyslexia that raises awareness of this condition, promotes good practice in education and supports families with dyslectic children.
The Work of Professionals
Various professionals can work with children with autism to foster their development and satisfy their additional support needs. For example, teachers and psychologists may use a time-out technique to provide autistic kids with a safe space and time to be alone. This is a very useful tool for children who need to calm down, get distracted from noises and lights and process information because they gain an opportunity to concentrate. However, this is not a good choice for autistic kids with self-harm or aggressive behavior.
The second efficient technique is to allow a child to play with dough when calming down or listening to instructions. According to CLH Healthcare (2017), this is a very effective strategy that fosters the child’s concentration and attentiveness while also making them relax and perceive information better. Finally, the third method for teachers and psychologists is to use PECS – picture exchange communication system. While this is a great way for professionals to communicate with an autistic child who does not want to speak at the moment or cannot express their thoughts, the cons of this method are its limited complexity and vocabulary.
Collaboration
Collaboration and integrated working are when several professionals unite to work with children with additional support needs. For example, parents, teachers, physiotherapists, and psychologists join their different efforts to address all the symptoms and effects of the kid’s condition. Generally, this is a very effective way to help a child feel better and develop more properly. However, this approach can appear to be ineffective if one professional does not work responsibly or alters the interventions of other professionals.
The Role of Family
Finally, it is essential to mention that parents, siblings and significant others play a very valuable role in caring for children and teenagers with additional support needs. They should place their primary focus on fostering the development of the disabled kid, never judge this child, maintain their confidentiality and become inclusive and attentive. In this case, it is more likely to prevent the deterioration of the condition and address the symptoms.
Conclusion
To draw a conclusion, one may say that paying close attention to children’s long- and short-term additional support needs is essential. Kids and adolescents with physical and mental disabilities like ADHD, autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and other issues, as well as problems at home or with classmates, need to receive proper help and care from family members, educators, peers and psychologists. Since the importance of teachers’ and relatives’ interventions is undeniable, it is in their power to allow such students to develop better and has more advanced communication and learning skills. Indeed, if various professionals unite their efforts with the efforts of families, it will be possible to reduce the negative effects of multiple disabilities and disorders on children and adolescents and address their additional support needs in a more efficient way.
Reference List
British Dyslexia Association (n.d.) Dyslexia.
The Children’s Hearings System in Scotland (2013) Children’s hearings training resource manual: volume 2. Edinburgh: The Scottish Government.
CLH Healthcare (2017) Play dough: a recipe for sensory success.
Connor, S. (2018) ‘Revealed: dyslexia caused by communication problems in brain, scientists discover’, The Independent, Science.
Dyslexia Scotland (2022).
Kyle Academy (n.d.) Additional support needs. Web.
McLeod, S. A. (2020) Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
National Health Service (n.d.) Autism.
Special Needs Guide (n.d.) Council for the registration of schools teaching dyslexic pupils (CReSTeD).
Welsh Joint Education Committee (2019) Additional support needs.