BACKGROUND: Special needs children have various health problems and most common is impaired cognitive development and behavioural problems. The cause and management of behavioural problems in special needs children have not been established. It has been previously reported that some behavioural problems may be related with cognitive development.
OBJECTIVE : To assess the cognitive development and behavioural problems of the special needs children and assess the health seeking behaviour of the special needs children.
METHODS : The study was conducted among 46 special needs children at Special children home. After collecting basic socio demographic details, they were assessed for cognitive development and behavioural problems using 5-15R questionnaire for 2-5yrs & 5-17yrs and their health seeking behaviour using a semi structured questionnaire followed by General and Clinical Examination.
RESULTS : Out of these 46 special needs children, 69.5% were male and 30.5% were female. The mean age was 11.69 + 4.62 years. In Cognitive development, problem in motor skills were present in 39.13% of children; lack of attention present in 45.65% of children; lack of perception present in 60.86% of children; lack of memory present in 63.04% of children; problem in language present in 52.17% of children; problem in learning & problem solving skills present in 67.39% of children. In Behavioural problems, problem in social skills present in 52.17% of children and emotional problems present in 17.39% of children. Among them 37% seek Government healthcare facility for cognitive development and behavioural problems. A referral advice was provided to necessary children.
CONCLUSION : A high proportion of the special needs children were having problems in motor skills, attention, perception, memory, language, learning & problem solving skills, social skills and emotional problems which needed to be addressed. Interventions should be aimed at improving the cognitive development and behavioural problems of the special needs children.