Learning problems can be understood in various ways, so let’s clarify a few key points here, starting with the difference between a mere difficulty and a disorder. Learning disorders (LDs) are a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by an individual’s unexpected failure to acquire, retrieve, and/or use information competently. LD is a generic term referring to a group of disorders or dysfunctions in the central nervous system, manifested by difficulties in acquiring and using skills—such as speaking, reading, or reasoning—which do not primarily depend on the environment and are not synonymous with a lack of intelligence. A learning disability depends more on the environment; when adjustments are made to the environment, the difficulty can be overcome. For example, a child changed seats in class and saw an improvement in performance, or after changing schools, caught up on the material and is now more engaged and happier.

 

"It's important to know that we encounter far more students with mere difficulties than with a learning disability.

About 40% of the school-age population may have learning difficulties,

and only between 3% and 5% are estimated to have a learning disability, as indicated by various studies.

And it's worth noting here that memory problems, attention problems

"and difficulty managing social interactions are not considered ASD."

 

Mental disorders, on the other hand, also have a complex etiology, as Guilherme Polanczyk reiterated during the most recent live stream I hosted with him on NeuroConecte’s YouTube channel, which addressed the topic discussed here. They involve factors ranging from the genetic level to the characteristics of the community in which the child lives. Greater susceptibility to mental health problems, a lack of support, and personality and temperament traits all influence the onset of mental illness. However, it is still too early to say whether mental health disorders have increased (or by how much) following the pandemic, according to the child and adolescent psychiatrist; nevertheless, we can say that suffering, insecurity, frustration, and anxiety have increased. We, as health and education professionals, are witnessing the impact the pandemic has had on both students’ mental health and their learning, as the pandemic has exacerbated what was already underway. As Polanczyk explains, we do not need to receive a diagnosis of mental illness to discuss the topic; rather, we must educate ourselves about the prevention and promotion of mental health starting in childhood.

After the onset of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in the second half of 2020, one in three children exhibited clinically significant levels of anxiety and depression. And these symptoms are closely linked to learning difficulties—a phenomenon that is not new. Studies show that approximately 30% of children with learning disabilities also experience psychological, emotional, and behavioral problems. However, we know that a child who has a disorder and receives treatment can enjoy holistic health—health that transcends the physical, encompassing emotions, cognition, or, rather, the mind and the body.

 

'Early identification and referral to education and mental health professionals'

Professionals qualified to provide evidence-based assessments and treatments are often needed

to achieve the best possible result. Identify which issue lies at the root of the problem—in other words, understand

if attention difficulties are more prevalent than the difficulties required to learn mathematics

a great deal of experience and dedication on the part of the experts in question.

So look for experienced professionals and don't accept "diagnoses"

"which may be frivolous or uninformative."

 

Furthermore, the school can (and should) recommend, when necessary, that parents seek neuropsychological, psychopedagogical, psychological, or speech-language pathological evaluations. It is also the school’s responsibility to provide guidance on the best approach to support the student’s learning. We know there is no single path or magic cure, but it is possible to choose the most appropriate approaches and reassess them whenever possible. In my practice, I have been seeing families and young people suffering due to the excessive demands placed on them by schools. One 17-year-old patient, who was dedicated to his studies and an excellent student, couldn’t fall asleep before 2:00 a.m. due to the sheer volume of material and the school’s high standards. I must admit that when I reviewed the exam instructions, they were on par with a graduate-level course. Of course, the examples I’ve given so far may reflect the reality for families who make up less than 2% of the population.

On the other hand, 50% of 15-year-old students failed to reach the minimum proficiency level in the most recent PISA assessment (2018), a situation that has worsened since the pandemic. I won’t delve here into the merits of our current government’s neglect of basic education, but I will “shout out”: what has been done to improve a situation that has become disastrous? What will be done to address mental health in schools—spaces meant to be welcoming and supportive of learning? Here, I’d like to take a moment to briefly invite everyone—those with children in both private and public schools—to support the passage of the National Education System, a legislative measure that will place greater responsibility on the federal government through federal cooperation and a new management policy. As incredible as it may seem, we have a highly effective model in the SUS (Unified Health System), which could be “adapted” for education—as suggested by the NGO Todos pela Educação in an article by its president, Priscila Cruz*. Addressing the problems in public education requires an understanding of systemic issues, management, and the responsibilities of all parties involved. I do not intend with this analogy to downplay the gulf that exists between public and private education, much less to overlook the neglect and lack of political will to improve education; however, my aim is to deepen our understanding of the intimate relationship between mental health and school. Both children and adolescents need to be viewed and cared for by taking into account their emotional and mental well-being, which underlies their educational development. This highlights the importance and necessity for schools and mental health services to work toward more effective coordination and communication among parents, teachers, and specialists. After all, just as a child cannot learn on an “empty stomach,” they also cannot learn with a mind “filled” with fears, distress, anxiety, and harmful stress—all of which compromise not only their health but also their ability to learn at the level expected for their age group.

Mental health begins in the family and must be reinforced by schools and the community through the development of an effective partnership—one that transcends the “confines” of each home and can only happen when citizens, through the goodwill of the professionals involved and the government, are willing to understand the student as a whole. Only in this way can we envision a Brazilian education system that is “literate” and “healthier.”

 

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*An article published by the newspaper *O Estado de São Paulo*, co-authored with Olavo Nogueira Filho, on February 19 of this year.