Flourishing Kids

I recently attended the SLD Asia Africa Regional Conference in Mumbai, organised by the Maharashtra Dyslexia Association as part of their 30-year celebration.

I went in thinking this might be just another conference on dyslexia. But what really stayed with me was how much Asia and Africa share in common, especially in multilingual contexts where the language spoken at home is often different from the language used in school.

A few key takeaways that stood out for me:

🎯Learning disabilities may be invisible, but the child is not.
🎯If they are caught, they can be taught. Early identification and intervention are critical.
🎯Certification is important, not to label a child, but to ensure access to the right support. At the same time, we must not wait for assessment or for the child to fail before beginning intervention.

In the Indian context, Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) were included under the Persons with Disabilities (PwD) Act in 2016. Research suggests that this often invisible disability impacts at least 10–15% of the school-going population.

This means that for an estimated 35 million students with SLDs, we may need nearly 7 million special educators. But in reality, we currently have only around 28,000 in the system. Even more concerning, 19 out of 20 students with SLDs remain undiagnosed.

This conference was a strong reminder that while the challenges are significant, the urgency for awareness, early identification, and timely intervention is even greater.

Let’s celebrate neurodiversity the way we celebrate biodiversity.

Every child deserves the opportunity to learn, thrive, and succeed.

Travelling to Mumbai for Asia Africa Regional Conference 2026 hosted by Maharashtra Dyslexia Association

Excited for the learning, conversations, and the opportunity to connect with fellow attendees.

If you are attending too, I would be happy to connect and catch up during the conference.

A joyful and memorable Rising Stars Graduation Day celebration at VCS HI-TECH International School, Sholinghur. It was wonderful to see our little stars shine with confidence and joy.

As the Academic Director of the school, it was especially meaningful for me to be the Chief Guest at this celebration and to witness this proud milestone in our children’s learning journey.

Proud of our students, grateful to our teachers, and thankful to our parents for their continued support.

A heartwarming evening with EuroKids, Arumbakkam, as they celebrated their 3rd Annual Day and Graduation Day at Chinmaya Heritage Centre. Watching the little ones perform with such joy and confidence was truly delightful.

Grateful to have been part of this special occasion and to interact with parents on building strong reading habits and supporting children early in their learning journey.

Honoured to be invited as Chief Guest at EuroKids Arumbakkam’s Annual Day and Graduation Celebration.

The early years play a powerful role in shaping a child’s confidence and love for learning.

Yesterday, a parent messaged me after watching my YouTube video.

She asked something many parents quietly wonder.

“My child is going to Grade 2… but reading is still difficult. Should we retain him for one more year?”

If you are a Grade 1 or Grade 2 parent, this thought may have crossed your mind too.

In my work as a Certified Dyslexia Teacher and Orton–Gillingham Practitioner, I have seen that before considering retention, the first step is always understanding the exact nature of the difficulty.

What is really going on?

Is it a reading difficulty?
Is attention affecting learning?
Is behaviour coming from frustration in the classroom?

Sometimes a child who struggles to read cannot explain what feels hard. That frustration may show up as behaviour.

If we keep the child in the same grade, with the same type of instruction, will something actually change?

Most learning difficulties do not disappear just because a child repeats a year.

What makes a bigger difference is:

• Identifying the root cause
• Structured, individualized support

Retention or changing schools is not always the first answer.

Understanding your child deeply is.

I’ve explained this fully in my YouTube video.

🔗 Watch here: https://youtu.be/xCNJdkoOnF4?si=7DW8zjF9y3hpxw2s

If you are unsure about what your child truly needs, you are not alone.

I currently have limited 1:1 intervention slots open for families in Australia and China time zones.

You can reach out to me. Sometimes one clear conversation can bring a lot of clarity.

Should I Retain My Child in the Same Grade? Flourishing Kids is run by Dr. V.S.Gayathri.Dr. V.S. Gayathri is an educational therapist and discusses reading, learning, and challenges on the youtube chan...

Grateful to be invited as the Chief Guest for the 4th Annual Day and Graduation Day celebrations at EuroKids, Madhanandapuram. Looking forward to celebrating these little milestones and the joy of early learning.

Wishing you and your family a very Happy New Year!

May the year ahead bring good health, happiness, and many moments that truly matter. ✨

Wishing you a blessed and joyful Christmas.
May this season fill your heart with peace, your home with warmth, and your days with hope.