Joint efforts tackle child learning difficulties

Misconceptions, stigmas

Research worldwide estimates that 10 percent to 17 percent of children experience learning difficulties. Despite this prevalence, the topic is rarely discussed in Chinese society due to misconceptions, ignorance, or the stigma associated with it, Zhu said.

She added that she is surprised and happy to see the sudden surge of public interest in the issue.

Wang Hui, a psychology teacher and counselor at Shanghai Zhabei No 1 Primary School, said many Chinese still do not understand ADHD even though about 15 million children in China－roughly 5.6 percent of the child population－have the condition.

She added that most Chinese consider a child with ADHD to have unusually high levels of energy.

"The fact that most people only associate ADHD with hyperactivity is evidence of the common misunderstanding of the learning disorder," Wang said. "Some ADHD patients experience only serious attention deficit issues. Not all such patients are hyperactive."

Zhu said another common misconception about ADHD is that the condition will disappear when a child grows older. While there have been examples of this happening, such cases are the exception, not the norm, she said.

According to research, about 2.5 percent of adults experience ADHD, meaning that at least 50 percent of children with the condition continue to experience it even after they reach adulthood.

Wang recalled an incident some years ago when she and her colleagues had to go to great lengths to convince a student's family, especially his grandparents with whom the child lived, that the boy had ADHD and needed medication and behavioral intervention.

"Most parents are reluctant to have their child take medication, due to concerns about possible side effects on the child's growth," Wang said.

Zhu Jie, a teacher who is also a psychology counselor at Shanghai Jing'an Foreign Language Primary School affiliated to Shanghai International Studies University, said he constantly encounters such concerns from parents.

"I always tell them that any side effects from medication will have less impact than ADHD might have on the child if left untreated," Zhu said.

Based on what he has learned from books and through experience, Zhu said neurodevelopmental learning disorders such as ADHD can seriously affect a child's learning ability, resulting in low self-esteem and impeded personal development.

"Such problems could leave a student with lifelong trauma, as he or she might experience a sense of helplessness. As such, it is imperative that these issues are addressed early," he said.