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Children with Special Needs & Learning Difficulties

 

Children with Special Needs and Learning Disabilities

Children with special needs or learning difficulties often have difficulties with communication. Some children require speech and language therapy to improve, and others need greater intervention and perhaps the addition of some form of communication system or device. However, no matter what the level of communication difficulty, there are many ways to help most children to communicate more effectively. Even children with profound difficulties have the potential to increase their levels of communication, allowing them to initiate, respond and make choices.

 

Causes of Special Needs

To read more about the causes of special needs and learning difficulties – Click Here

 

Communication and Behaviour

Many individuals with special needs exhibit behavioural problems. These difficulties are often associated with a communication difficulties to read more about behaviour and communication – Click here to see the Behaviour & Communication

 

Syndromes

Many children have communication difficulties as a result of a genetic syndrome. There are hundreds of known syndromes, some of which are extremely rare. A genetic syndrome, may have little or no effect on communication skills, but often there are communication difficulties due to physical or cognitive delay.

To read more about Genetic Syndromes and their effects on communication – Click Here

 

Total Communication and Assistive Communication / AAC Strategies to enhance Communication

icommunicate follows the Total Communication philosophy, which tries to find any and every way possible to enhance communication. Individuals with high and complex needs can also be given the opportunity to communicate there needs and feelings, using a range on communicative tools. We also provide some Key Guidelines, which are simple tips that you can use everyday to make communication easier. These key guidlelines can help parents, students and teachers to enhance communication. Special needs schools often have a students with a diverse range of communication disorders, but there are many key strategies that can be used to improve the communicative environment. We also discuss using visuals and objects of reference, assistive communication devices (AAC), and enhancing communication to create a positive communication environment which may also impact positively on challenging and inappropriate behaviour. Click on the links below to read more:

Total Communication

Assistive Communication Devices / AAC

Using Visuals Aids & Objects of Reference to Enhance Communication

Key Guidelines to Creating a Total Communication Environment

 

Severe and Complex Needs

Some children have very complex needs and severe communication difficulties. There are many strategies to help these children. Click on the link below to find out more:

Children with Severe Communication Difficulties and High and Complex Needs

 

Autism

The icommunicate website also provides information and strategies for children and adults with Autism. Click here to visit our Autism section.

 

For more information about special needs and other communication difficulties, and ideas and strategies to help communication, see our Resources, or for specific fact-sheets with helpful hints about Special Needs go to the Downloads section.

 

Recommended Reading

 

 

For a wider range of books, click here to see our Bookshop.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.icommunicatetherapy.com/child-speech-language/children-special-needs-learning-difficulties/

Causes of Special Needs and Learning Difficulties

    See our Special Needs Header Page for a full list of special needs information and resources   There can be many causes of special needs and learning difficulties and there is often an associated communication problem such as a delay with speech, language, social language and behaviour. However, no matter what the level of …

Genetic Syndromes and Communication Difficulties

    See our Special Needs Header Page for a full list of special needs information and resources The term syndrome refers to the association of several clinically recognizable features, signs (diagnosed by a doctor), symptoms (reported by the patient / carer), phenomena or characteristics which often occur together. A genetic disorders or genetic syndromes …

Total Communication

      See our Special Needs Header Page for a full list of special needs information and resources   Adapting our communication and creating a total communication environment Before we work and communicate with children with learning difficulties or special needs, we need to be aware of our own communication skills and how we communicate. …

Assistive Communication Devices / AAC

      See our Special Needs Header Page for a full list of special needs information and resources Assistive technology is a generic term that includes assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices with a focus on facilitating communication (sometimes also called Alternative and Augmentative Communication, or AAC). Modern new electronic machines (hi-tech) have become the …

Children with Severe Communication Difficulties and High and Complex Needs

      See our Special Needs Header Page for a full list of special needs information and resources   It is important to have a number of functional strategies to help children with severe communication difficulties. For instance, a boy with autism may use visual schedules and strategies, a girl with hearing impairment may …

Using Visuals Aids & Objects of Reference to Enhance Communication

      See our Special Needs Header Page for a full list of special needs information and resources   Visuals and objects of reference are great, and can be used in so many ways. They are especially useful with children who have severe learning difficulties, special needs, autism or communication delay. Visuals and objects …

Behaviour and Communication

      See our Special Needs Header Page for a full list of special needs information and resources   Behaviour and communication are often inter-connected. Many children with communication delay or learning difficulties often display inappropriate or challenging behaviour. Although there are many reasons for this type of behaviour, it can often be linked …

Key Guidelines to Creating a Total Communication Environment

    See our Special Needs Header Page for a full list of special needs information and resources   Many individuals experience difficulties with communication, but there are many key things we can do as communicators to facilitate the process and make communication easier. Building a total communication environment means making subtle and simple changes …