Communication disorders among Syrian refugee children in Beqaa, Lebanon

• Published date: 29 August 2019
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMHSC-09-2018-0059
• Date: 29 August 2019
• Pages: 214-225
• Author: Alia Salam,Russell K. McIntire,Lucille B. Pilling
• Subject Matter: Health & social care,Vulnerable groups,Inequalities & diverse/minority groups,Sociology,Race & ethnic studies,Minorities,Multiculturalism,Racial identity,Labour movements

Communication disorders among Syrian

refugee children in Beqaa, Lebanon

Alia Salam, Russell K. McIntire and Lucille B. Pilling

Abstract

Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to identify the severity of certain communication disorders (CD) in a

sample of Syrian refugee children. There are a limited number of studies about CD among refugee children.

Design/methodology/approach –Over a period of 22 months, 161 cases of CD –not caused by motor or

structural disorders –were seen at a Mental Health Clinic in Beqaa, Lebanon. The authors calculated

descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) and bivariate statistics to identify relationships between

CD, demographics and school enrollment among cases.

Findings –Ages ranged between 3 and 16 years with a mean of 6.91. Male to female ratio was 1.6:1. The

most prevalent category of CD was speech, followed by expressive language, then receptive language.

Parents reported behavioral or emotional problems in 38 percent of the cases; emotional problems, mainly

anxiety, were much more common than behavioral problems. Enrollment in school was associated with a

lower number of impairments and less severe speech and language impairments.

Originality/value –The results highlight the importance of early detection and intervention among Syrian

refugee children. Schools can alleviate some psychological issues that compound CD by enhancing resilient

behaviors and providing social support. They can also implement measures for detection and intervention.

Keywords Mental health, School enrollment, Communication disorders, Language impairment,

Speech impairment, Syrian refugee children

Paper type Research paper

Background

As the Syrian war goes on, the toll of death and destruction continues to rise. International

reports indicate that hundreds of thousands of Syrians have been killed and nearly 11m

displaced because of the war (World Vision, 2019). Of those displaced, almost 40 percent are

children under the age of 12 and more than 50 percent are now beyond Syria’s borders (UN High

Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), 2016).

In Lebanon, Syrian refugees face numerous legal and social challenges, especially those who

have limited legal status. Challenges that these people face include fear of crossing checkpoints,

lack of access to services (e.g. healthcare) and challenges to register with UNHCR (NRC, 2014).

Additionally, some refugee parents with limited legal status reported that they were hiding or

minimizing movements, which prevented them from finding jobs or even enrolling their children in

school (NRC, 2014). Undocumented children are unable to enroll in the Lebanese public

schools, and undocumented parents are afraid to cross checkpoints or are unable to afford

transportation to accompany their children (NRC, 2014; Human Rights Watch, 2016).

Syrian children who attend school with Lebanese students are presented with many social

challenges. They are often assigned to grade levels that do not match their age because of the

differences in the Syrian and Lebanese educational systems or because of interrupted learning.

With lack of support from the school, these differences can cause depression, bullying or even

school-dropout, all of which have numerous negativehealth consequences.The hurdles are even

greater for those with disabilities because many schools are neither capable of providing special

education nor accommodating special needs students (Human Rights Watch, 2016).

Received 10 September 2018

Revised 12 March 2019

Accepted 22 July 2019

Alia Salam, Russell K. McIntire

and Lucille B. Pilling are all

based at the College of

Population Health, Thomas

Jefferson University,

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,

USA.

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INTERNATIONALJOURNAL OF MIGRATION, HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE

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VOL. 15 NO. 3 2019, pp.214-225, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1747-9894 DOI 10.1108/IJMHSC-09-2018-0059