Bermuda has local experts trained to help children with learning disorders -- but few facilities where services can be delivered.

That is the view of children's medicine specialist Dr. Melvin Levine, who said: "It's like having a wonderful medical cure with no pharmacy to dispense it.'' Dr. Levine, a professor in paediatrics, is a member of "All Kinds of Minds'' -- an institute geared towards the understanding and treatment of children with learning difficulties.

The Hamilton-based Reading Clinic hosted Dr. Levine's visit in an effort to create a greater understanding in Bermuda of the special challenges that these children face.

Yesterday he said social problems like drug abuse and crime were linked to undiagnosed difficulties in learning.

"Children have a very low tolerance for failure and if you ask the brain to do things that it wasn't wired for, you get huge problems,'' he said. "Drug abuse, crime, and a lifelong lack of ambition can be the result of a learning difficulty that prevented a child from being successful.

"There is the need for a radical change in schools to accommodate different kinds of minds.'' According to Dr. Levine, many behavioural problems which develop in schools can be attributed to frustrated attempts at learning.

He said: "Most children figure that it's better to be perceived as a bad child rather than a dumb child and behavioural problems develop as a kind of masquerade.'' But Dr. Levine suggested that the challenges that the children face can be addressed by a joint effort involving doctors and teachers.

He added that the type of changes in policy, attitude, and practices needed to help youngsters with special needs would not be expensive.

And he warned that early action could actually save money which would otherwise be needed "for jail cells and drug rehabilitation''.

Dr. Levine will conduct a seminar tomorrow on "The Seemingly Lazy Child'' at the Bermuda College.

The seminar -- which runs from 8.45 a.m. to 4 p.m. -- will focus on learning difficulties in areas like language, physical skills, organisation, attention and problem-solving.

Anyone interested in further information on the special seminar should call The Reading Clinic on 292-3938.

Dr. Melvin Levine