Loneliness has been defined in different ways.

A common definition is “A state of solitude or being alone”. The other definition is “Loneliness is not necessarily about being alone. Instead, “it is the perception of being alone and isolated that matters most” and is “a state of mind”. “Inability to find meaning in one's life”, “Feeling of negative and unpleasant” and “A subjective, negative feeling related to the deficient social relations” “A feeling of disconnectedness or isolation.” etc., are the other ways to define loneliness.
(National Library of Medicine, 2013)

Although everyone is at risk of developing loneliness, it is discovered to be more common in certain groups of people;

• Children and adolescents
• Elderly
• Immigrants
• LGBTQ+ people

Difference between Loneliness and Social Isolation?

Loneliness is the feeling of being alone, regardless of the amount of social contact. Social isolation is a lack of social connections. Social isolation can lead to loneliness in some people, while others can feel lonely without being socially isolated.

Causes of Loneliness

Loneliness can be classified into 3 categories based on their causes:

1. Situational Loneliness:  This is largely due to socio-economic, cultural and environmental factors such as unpleasant experiences, migration, interpersonal conflicts, accidents, disasters etc.
2. Developmental Loneliness:  This arises from the innate desire of intimacy and need for individualism (knowing and developing our own real self). Some of these factors include personal inadequacies’, developmental deficits, significant separations, social marginality, poverty, living arrangements and physical/psychological disability.
3. Internal Loneliness: Being alone does not make a person lonely but rather it is the perception of being alone. Contributing factors include personality types, mental distress, low self-esteem, feeling guilty, feeling worthless, poor coping strategies with situations.

Health Effects of Loneliness

Physical effects:

• Heart problems and stroke
• Dementia progression
• Decreased memory and function
• Alcohol and Drug misuse
• Sleep problems

?Psychological effects:

• Depression
• Suicide
• Increased stress levels
• Anxiety
• Antisocial behaviours
   

Self-help strategies for combating loneliness

DO’s:

• Share your feelings with a trusted person without comparing
• Engage in activities you enjoy e.g., exercise, listening to music or podcasts, cooking
• Visit public places where there are likely to be other people e.g., Cinemas, parks, cafes
• Invite someone to join your outdoor activities
• Join a social group that shares similar interests and focuses something you enjoy
• Help someone else feel connected

DONT's:

• Do not try to do everything at once. Set small targets that you can easily achieve
• Do not focus on things you can change
• Try not to compare yourself with others
• Try not to tell yourself you are alone
• Try not to use alcohol, cigarette, gambling or drugs to relieve loneliness.

What are Learning Disabilities?

Learning disabilities are disorders that affect the ability to:

• Understand or use spoken or written language
• Do mathematical calculations
• Coordinate movements
• Direct attention

Learning disabilities tend to occur in very young children and mostly go unnoticed until the child reaches school age. They can be lifelong conditions and it is important to realize that learning disabilities can affect an individual’s life beyond academics and can impact relationships with family, friends and in the workplace.

Learning disabilities should not be confused with learning problems which are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor handicaps; of intellectual disability; of emotional disturbance; or of environmental, cultural or economic disadvantages.

There are several types of these disorders. Some of the common ones include:

1. Dyscalculia: Affects a person’s ability to understand numbers and learn math facts.
    
2. Dysgraphia: Affects a person’s handwriting ability and fine motor skills.
    
3. Dyslexia: Affects reading and related language-based process skills. Individuals with dyslexia struggle with word recognition, decoding and spelling.
    
4. Non-verbal learning disability: Has trouble interpreting nonverbal cues like facial expressions or body language and may have poor coordination. 
    
5. Oral/written language disorder and specific reading comprehension deficit: Affects an individual’s understanding of what they read or of spoken language.

Symptoms and signs of learning disorders?

Common signs that a person may have learning disabilities include the following:

• Problems reading and/or writing
• Problems with math
• Poor memory
• Problems paying attention
• Trouble following directions
• Clumsiness
• Trouble telling time
• Problems staying organized

A child with a learning disability also may have one or more of the following:

• Acting without really thinking about possible outcomes (impulsiveness)
• “Acting out” in school or social situations
• Difficulty staying focused; being easily distracted
• Difficulty saying a word correctly out loud or expressing thoughts
• Problems with school performance from week to week or day to day
• Speaking like a younger child; using short, simple phrases; or leaving out words in sentences
• Having a hard time listening
• Problems dealing with changes in schedule or situations
• Problems understanding words or concepts

The above symptoms are not exhaustive and it is advisable to seek professional (child and adolescent psychiatrist or child neurologist) for further assessment, diagnosis and management.

The management of learning disabilities is multidisciplinary. These will include:

• Medical professionals
• Parents
• Teachers
• Occupational therapist
• Psychologists
• Social workers

And any other discipline of relevance on case-by-case basis.

Helping a child with a learning disability

Below are some parenting tips for dealing with your child’s learning disability:

1. Keep things in perspective – everyone faces challenges thus it is up to parents to teach their child how to overcome these obstacles without being discouraged or overwhelmed.
2. Be your own expert – keep abreast with new information and current trends about your child’s disability and needs.
3. Be an advocate for your child
4. Remember that your influence on your child outweighs all others
5. Focus on your strengths and not just your weaknesses

Here are some tips on how to help children with learning disabilities:

1. Take charge of your child’s education, Communicate effectively with the school, Recognize the limitations of the school system and complement where they lack within your own capabilities
2. Identify how your child learns best and research to equip yourself with the appropriate approach to help them.
3. Think life success, rather than school success. By focusing on these broad skills, you can help your child immensely in life:
   - Self-awareness and self-confidence
   - Being proactive
   - Perseverance
   - Ability to set goals
   - Knowing how and when to ask for help
   - Ability to handle stress
4. Recognising stress in your child
5. Take care of yourself too
6. Emphasize healthy lifestyle too

Some tips on how to take care of yourself as a parent/caregiver of someone with a learning disability:

• Keep the lines of communication open with your spouse, family, and friends. Ask for help when you need it.
• Take care of yourself by eating well, exercising, and getting enough rest.
• Join a learning disorder support group. The encouragement and advice you'll get from other parents can be invaluable.
• Enlist teachers, therapists, and tutors whenever possible to share some responsibility for day-to-day academic responsibilities.
• Learn how to manage stress in your own life. Make daily time for yourself to relax and decompress.

Most children (infants and toddlers) can understand what is being said Well before they can clearly speak. Their communication skills develop as they get older and they learn how to articulate their feelings into words.

However, in some children, this may be a challenge hence a language disorder. There are various forms of this:

1. Receptive language disorder – where a child has difficulty understanding words, he/she hears or reads
2. Expressive language disorder – where a child has trouble speaking or expressing their thoughts and feelings.

Often times, a child has both forms at the same time. These disorders are commonly diagnosed between the ages of 3-5 years.

Difference between language disorders and speech delay

There is a difference between the term’s 'delay' and 'disorder'. A delay means that a child is developing language in a typical manner, but is doing so more slowly than other children his or her age. A disorder means that a child is not developing language as one would expect, or abnormally

Causes of Language Disorders

In many cases, the cause is unknown, however, language disorders are usually associated with certain conditions:

• A brain disorder such as Autism
• A brain injury or tumour
• Birth defects e.g., Down’s syndrome, cerebral palsy
• Problems in pregnancy or birth like poor nutrition, foetal alcohol syndrome, premature birth, low birth weight.
• Hearing loss
• Failure to thrive

Symptoms of language disorders

With receptive language disorder, a child may have trouble:

• Understanding what people say
• Understanding gestures
• Understanding concepts and ideas
• Understanding what he or she reads
• Learning new words
• Answering questions
• Following directions
• Identifying objects

With expressive language disorder, a child may have trouble:

• Using words correctly
• Expressing thoughts and ideas
• Telling stories
• Using gestures
• Asking questions
• Singing songs or reciting poems
• Naming objects

How are language disorders diagnosed in a child?

This is done by medical professionals such as a paediatrician, child and adolescent psychiatrist or psychologist, speech therapist or even a primary physician. Diagnosing these disorders requires a comprehensive assessment involving obtaining history/information about pregnancy, birth, early childhood problems, underlying conditions etc. Also, observing child alone or in a group to get an insight on how the child communicates.

Thereafter, a management plan would be developed per the findings of the assessment. Most of the treatment for language disorders are done by the speech therapist using evidence-based tools and methods to improve their language. Some of these are:

• Use toys, books, objects, or pictures to help with language development
• Have your child do activities, such as craft projects
• Have your child practice asking and answering questions

Some tips for parents with children who have language disorders:

• Reading and talking to your child to help them learn words
• Listening and responding when your child talks
• Encouraging your child to ask and answer questions
• Pointing out words on signs