JEDDAH, 30 April 2005 — The Ministry of Education last week held its fourth annual seminar on “the psychological health of children with special needs”.
Under the theme of “Hopes and expectations”, the three-day event included lectures and workshops that focused on practical methods for approaching children with special needs and recommendations for improving their environment at home and school.
Among the topics discussed were the effects of negative messages directed toward handicapped children, psychological disturbances associated with hearing impairment, social phobia and how to correct the behavior of children with special needs. Disorders such as autism, attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity were discussed.
The lectures and workshops also dealt with psychological pressures on the children, their parents and teachers as well as strategies to reduce them.
Dr. Tayseer Al-Kawafha from the special education section of the Teachers’ College, Jeddah, talked about the internal and external pressures on the child and his family.
Internal pressures include anxiety, shock and depression. External pressures include financial problems, social barriers and maltreatment. Teachers also face psychological pressures which in turn affect the way they treat the children. By addressing such issues openly and raising public awareness, the obstacles that these children face in coping with their condition and leading a normal life could be minimized, said Dr. Al-Kawafha.
