Neurodevelopmental Disorders : Specific Learning Disorders: in Japan

Molly
2019.11.13
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Specific Learning Disorder is one of Neurodevelopmental Disorders. (used to be called developmental disabilities) A neurodevelopmental Disorder is caused by an abnormality in brain which exists from the birth. People with Specific Learning Disorders often divided into three main groups: reading disorder Dyslexia, written language disorder dysgraphia, and math disorder dyscalculia. People with Specific Learning Disorder would face it for lifetime, currently there are no cure. There are more diagnose cases of Specific Learning Disorder globally, thus the satiations around people with this disorder is getting better.

How about in Japan?

Here are some facts.

Specific Learning Disorder amongst children in Japan

Specific Learning Disorder would be flagged during learn check up in Japan, or teachers or parents might notice a child’s difference during the fist 2 years of primary/ elementary schooling.

According to the survey by The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, amongst 50000 children in state/public schools , 6.5% children have some sort of Specific Learning Disorder, amongst them 4.5% children would have difficulty keeping up school calcium but 41.1% of them would not have any help at all. This is a very disappointing result.

However, due to advancing of technology in general, ICT use in education increased recent years; this was very positive impact on children with Specific Learning Disorder. They are encouraged to use ICT in regular class. For instance, Dyslexia children can use computers to listen to text books instead of reading them. Dysgraphia children can type their work on computers.

Gray/ pastel/colorful Zone

Children who has many of characteristics of Specific Learning Disorder but they are not sever enough to be diagnosed, would be called Gray/ pastel/colorful Zone but mostly gray zone. They tent to suffer a lot because they are not able to get proper supports due to lack of diagnose. Or sometimes, parents do not want their children to get labeled as Specific Learning Disorder; they would refuse to be checked by the authority or a specialist, against suggestion from school.

Specific Learning Disorder amongst adults in Japan

There are report saying that with right support, the disorder can be maintain and people sometimes grow out of them. On the other hand, some children grow up not knowing that they are suffering from the disorder; they would feel as if they are not clever as others or different from others. They often suffer from other mental disease like depression, due to undiagnosed of the disorder.

Hospitals /clinics are offering the check lists online and people can self check about their LD possibility. After the self check, they can decide that they should get checked properly or not. Hospitals /clinics can offer counseling or refer to government support center to get help.

Where to get help in Japan

Some people with the disorder, are not so different from others; it is great if they are supported from the right age, but some people do suffer in silence. There are some charities and non profit organizations in Japan that are offering help and support by running events and seminars for everyone who would be interested in learning about the disorder.