Early diagnosis and management of learning disabilities in children living in rural communities

Children with learning disabilities have been shown to experience complex emotional and conduct difficulties, poor self-esteem and school refusal due to late diagnosis and inappropriate management. The current project has been conceived in light of the unique circumstances found in Greece, with a tremendous shortage of diagnostic services for learning difficulties in children attending primary schools and a total lack of family support services for the management of these difficulties at home. A university mobil unit was set in mid 2020 with funds raised by the Region of Crete, aiming at diagnosing learning difficulties in children living in remote areas as well as offering tailor-made biopsychosocial counselling to their families, at no cost. Diagnosis is made on the basis of reliable tools (e.g. WISC VGR, etc) by a range of specialised professionals (e.g. child psychologists, speech therapists, nurses, social workers). Children diagnosed with a learning disability receive a personalised intervention plan and a package of educational and counselling services ranging from 8-12 one-to-one tutoring sessions. Preliminary analysis of 68 records indicates 54 children being diagnosed with some type of learning disability. Nearly 40.0% of them were older than 10 years (implying delayed treatment seeking) and 46.3% lived in rural areas (implying service accessibility). Prevalence was higher among males as compared with females (61.1% vs 38.9%). A high prevalence of emotional difficulties was identified in children with learning disabilities (32.4%). Out of 54 children assessed for intelligence level, 8(14.8%) scored very low (70-79units) and 4 (7.4%) scored extremely low (below 69units). Out of the 12 who scored low, 11 were males. Family-centred and community-oriented interventions are necessary for early diagnosis and holistic management of learning disabilities. The project bears useful insight for health policy and health services planning. Key messages Early diagnosis and targeted interventions can help children overcome their difficulties. Family-centred interventions are necessary for efficient management of learning disabilities.