January 2008 Smith Research Institute Survey  

These statistics are taken from a survey that was conducted by the Smith Research Institute with 400 men and women, which are a representative sample of parents of children with learning disabilities, aged 6-18 years old.

How many children with ADD/ADHD or learning disabilities are there in Israel?

• 32% of the parents reported that at least one of their children suffers, to the best of their understanding, ADD/HD or a learning disability!!!
• Approximately 180,000-190,000 children
• 69% of the population know someone with ADD/HD or a learning disability
• 10%-15% of the population are coping with some sort of learning disability

How many learning disability evaluations are actually performed each year?

• Parents in Israel are worried by the fact that their child may have a learning disability or ADHD. 
• 87% of worried parents took their child for an evaluation
• 46% of parents in Israel took at least one of their children, aged 6-18 years old, for an evaluation

Are there still preconceived ideas about the intellectual level of these children?

• 35% of parents think that children with ADD/ADHD or a learning disability have a higher intellectual level than other children
• 37% of parents think that children with ADD/ADHD or a learning disability have the same intellectual level as other children
• 19% do not know enough to answer
• 9% of parents think that children with ADD/ADHD or a learning disability have a lower intellectual level
• 55% of parents of children with ADD/ADHD or a learning disability believe that these children have higher intellectual levels than "normal" children

Who is the first one to suggest that the child has a problem (an aunt, neighbor, teacher, other)?

• In 55% of cases, parents were the first ones to suggest that their child has a problem  
• 28% - the school
• 12% - pre-school teacher

Do parents have the skills to cope with the difficulties of their child?

• 44% of parents attest that they lack the skills and knowledge in order to help their child cope with his difficulties
• 49% of parents reported a lack of skills and knowledge to help the child in the didactic area of his/her learning disability
• 39% of parents lack the skills needed to deal with their own emotional difficulties which they experience as a parent of a child with a learning disability
• 41% lack the skills needed to help their child cope with his/her own emotional difficulties that he/she experiences as a result of having a learning disability
• 7% lack skills needed to deal with the motor deficits of their child

Does the State of Israel give enough help to children with learning disabilities and/or ADD/ADHD?

• 69% of parents of all school age children feel the State does help enough
• 80% of parents of children with learning disabilities say the State does not help enough

Is the financial burden on parents of children with learning disabilities greater?

• 78% of parents believe that the financial burden is more
• 89% of parents of children with learning disabilities agree that their financial burden is greater

Does the investment in children with learning disabilities pay off?

• 92% of parents of children with learning disabilities believe that a greater investment in children with learning disabilities will help them catch up with the rest of their classmates
• 80% of all parents of school age children believe that a greater investment in children with learning disabilities will help them catch up with the rest of their classmates