Communication difficulties in school aged with learning difficulties having cerebral palsy at Kampala School for the physically handicapped

Abstract

Purpose; To investigate communication difficulties in school aged children with learning difficulties having cerebral palsy.

Methods; 25 children aged 6-11 years with learning difficulties having cerebral palsy were enrolled for the study. The SPARCLE impairment form was used to obtain information on Intelligence quotient. Formal assessments and a checklist according to the DSMV were used to determine the presenting learning difficulties. Communication function was assessed using the Communication Function Classification System (CFCS) involving interviews with the teachers and direct observation of the children while the presenting communication difficulties were identified using informal assessments.

Results; 64% (16) had an IQ<50(severe learning difficulties), 24% (6) with an IQ between50 and 70(mild learning difficulties) and (12%)3 with an IQ>70.Formal assessments of reading, writing,maths and spelling showed (100%)25 had dyslexia, (88%)22 dysgraphia and (100%)25 with dyscalculia. The CFCS rating showed that level I had (24%) 6, level II (20%) 5, level IV (40%) 10 and Level V (16%) 4. Informal assessments showed that 15(78%) had dysarthria ,17 (89%) had language disorders (mixed receptive and expressive language impairments) and 4 of these children were non-verbal (21%).

Conclusion; This study showed that children with learning difficulties having cerebral palsy will present with communication difficulties. However, both the learning difficulties and communication difficulties can occur independently as 24% of the study population presented with no communication difficulty. Both learning and communication difficulties were further influenced by the motor limitations present in these children. It also further points out potential difficulties they will encounter in the educational process because the speech, comprehension, language, reading and writing are equally important skills which are interrelated during mastering of the school curriculum.