1998 is the 30th anniversary of an organisation called AFASIC which stands for Association For All Speech (and language) Impaired Children.

Language impairment is a little-known subject made all the more difficult because there are several different kinds of disorders. Some children cannot speak clearly and so others do not understand what the child is saying. Others speak fairly clearly but have difficulty understanding what others are saying to them. Still others have problems using language which is appropriate to the social situation.

You cannot tell by looking at a child that he or she has a language problem and so people are often puzzled as to why the child doesn't answer when spoken to, why he doesn't do as he is bidden or why he seems so outspoken and difficult. Most people are now aware that dyslexic children have difficulty making sense of spoken language. This causes tremendous difficulties both in education and in making friends. If he cannot follow what is being said, or if she cannot express her views then the child is left out -- left out in the classroom and left out of the peer group.

As a national organisation AFASIC has provided training for professionals and has local groups all over Britain and Ireland. We, the Buckinghamshire branch, offer moral and practical support to families all over the county.

Next week is GMTV's annual Get UP And Give appeal. AFASIC has been chosen as one of the charities to benefit from this event and so I would urge everyone to support it.

Laraine Spragg

(Chairperson AFASIC

Buckinghamshire)

Park Lane

Lane End

High Wycombe

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