How is it treated and managed?

Treatment for children involves the following:

Education

Children with learning disability have Special Educational Needs (SEN) i.e. need additional support at school. Current educational thinking stresses the importance of inclusion which suggests that children with learning disability should be educated as far as possible within mainstream schools.

The procedures for dealing with children with Special Educational Needs are laid down in the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice. Local Education Authorities are obliged to follow the guidance in the code.

In a proportion of cases, when the needs of the child are not being met in mainstream school, a statutory assessment is carried out by an educational psychologist. This usually results in a Statement of Special Educational Needs. The Statement specifies the needs of the child, the help required to meet the needs and recommends schools, either special or mainstream, that are suitable for the child.

The majority of children with SEN have mild learning disability and attend mainstream schools

A minority of children with SEN attend special school i.e. one that is just for children with statements of SEN and is likely to cater for children with moderate and severe learning disability. See Special Educational Needs

Leisure and recreation

Children with learning disability should be given the same opportunities to engage in social and sporting activities as children without learning disability. They may need additional support to access these opportunities.

Psychological therapies

A range of psychological therapies can be adapted for use in children with learning disability.

Drug treatment

Psychotropic medication may be used in addition to social, environmental and behavioural strategies in managing severe behavioural disorders.

Family support

The birth of a child with learning disability puts great strain on most families. The parents need to adapt to their changed situation and they may grieve for the loss of their anticipated healthy child. The additional physical and financial consequences of caring for a child with additional needs may put strain on all family relationships particularly on relationships between parents. It can take considerable time for families to adjust.

Self help groups

Carers of children with learning disability can share information and gain support from others with similar experiences. These groups also aim to influence the provision of services and facilities for disabled people.

Treating associated impairments

Associated disorders must be treated in order to maximise the child’s functional abilities. Treatments may include physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, adaptive equipment, glasses, hearing aids, medication etc.

Prevention

The availability of genetic counselling and antenatal diagnosis of conditions such as Down’s syndrome has led to a reduction in the incidence of some learning disabilities. Improved care around the time of birth reduces the risk of brain damage. The early detection of hormonal or metabolic problems such as hypothyroidism or phenylketonuria allows treatment to prevent secondary effects leading to learning disability.

Outcome

Outcome for a child with learning disability depends upon the underlying cause, capacity, the severity of learning disability, the presence of associated disorders, the capability of the family and the quality of the support and educational services provided.