Specific Learning Disabilities in Africa: A Narrative Review of Underdiagnosis, Diagnostic Barriers, and Gaps in Care
This narrative review examines the landscape of specific learning disabilities (SLDs) across Africa, where these conditions remain substantially under-recognised and underdiagnosed.
The authors outline systemic barriers — limited specialised diagnostic tools, gaps in professional and teacher training, and thin care infrastructure — that leave many learners without timely identification or support. The paper situates these gaps in a broader clinical and public-health context and points to where research, screening, and service delivery need to catch up.