Learning Disability (LD) Certification
Instructions for Learning Disability (LD) Certification
The following will help you to understand the procedure for obtaining LD Certification. Please read the instructions completely.
1) How to get an appointment for a student’s assessment in LD Clinic?
The LD Clinic is open from 11 am to 3 pm (Mon to Fri); excluding public holidays. It is situated at Department of Pediatrics [2nd Floor, Pediatric Research Laboratory (PRL), Near Ward I, Old Hospital Building].
Ms. Jahida Kasim / Mrs Disha Naik will explain the procedure to be followed in depth and will answer any query that the parent / legal guardian may have about the assessment procedure.
The child need not be brought for taking the appointment.
2) What are the assessments done in the LD clinic?
The child has to be brought at least three times to the LD Clinic for various assessments as per appointments given.These cannot be combined into a single session as this gets very taxing for the child. The dates of appointments for these testing are given by the Secretary in the LD Clinic and the entire procedure to be followed will be clearly explained by her to each parent.
The first appointment is given for child’s detailed clinical and neurological examination. (which takes about 30 minutes to be completed).
The second appointment is for testing the child’s intellectual capacity (IQ testing). (which takes about 60-90 minutes to be completed).
The third appointment is for the educational testing of the child. (which takes about 60-90 minutes to be completed).
In general the accompanying parent would have to take a half-day off from work / other family responsibilities for each of the three appointments
None of these examinations are painful or inconvenient to the child. The child need not be starving for any of these ‘tests’.
3) What other tests are required to be done before certification?
Vision testing to be done by an Ophthalmologist (Eye Specialist)
Hearing testing (Audiometry) to be done from an ENT Specialist
These two tests can be done at KEM Hospital or at any public hospital near the child’s residence. They can also be done from a private Ophthalmologist or ENT Specialist – if so desired by parent. Both the vision and hearing testing reports should be recent (done in the past 3 months) to be considered valid.
Any questions you may have about these will be answered at the LD Clinic.
4) How long does it take for the entire assessment procedure to be completed?
Generally it takes about three weeks; beginning from the time of the first assessment done in the LD clinic (namely, the child’s detailed clinical and neurological examination). The certificate will be issued to the parent(s) after a meeting with the Counselor in the LD Clinic who will explain the child’s diagnosis and how to help the child achieve his/her maximum potential.
Contact Information
In case you wish to contact Dr Sunil Karande send an email to sunilkarande@kem.edu . We especially welcome feedback on your experience at the LD clinic. This will help us make the clinic more student and parent friendly.
Learning Disability Clinic address: Pediatric Research Laboratory ( PRL ), 2 nd Floor, Above Ward 17/18, (Near Ward 1, Department of Pediatrics, KEM Hospital Main building)