We would like to thank Dr Unni [1] for highlighting his concerns regarding specific learning disability (SLD) and bringing such an important yet not so common issue into limelight. The greatest hurdle lies in identifying these children so that only the deserving child gets the benefit if SLD forms part of Disability Act. The developed countries were early to recognize and quick to act on such issues. India is a vast multilingual country. It is not possible to apply any Western tool directly to our children due to different social and educational structure and the norms will vary. The SLD battery test developed and validated by National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) [2], does not have proper norms. Moreover the tool does not cover the cognitive aspect. We need a foolproof tool to find the prevalence of SLD in public and private schools. First generation learners should be excluded or else the prevalence will be high as environment plays an important factor in the development of the child.

For disability benefit or relaxation in education board norms, who will certify children with SLD? This certificate should come from a team of personnel and should have a uniform system throughout the country. With similar issues in mind, we have teamed up with psychologist and special educators for a study to develop a pediatrician-friendly checklist for SLD to screen children in clinics. Department of Science and Technology, West Bengal showed interest and advised us to extend our work to English, Hindi and Bengali language. We are associated with a project funded by WB Government entitled "Development of a diagnostic tool for clinical assessment of specific learning disability and prevalence of specific learning disability in English, Hindi and Bengali medium primary school-going children in West Bengal". The pilot work is ongoing and hopefully, in a couple of years, will be able to generate a diagnostic tool with norms appropriate for India. Cognitive development is conceptualized as one of the important issues to identify SLD. The problem needs to be addressed at the mass level all parts of the country. Only then can we come to a unanimous decision as to the specific tool and intervention.

1. Unni JC. Specific learning disability and the amended "Persons With Disability Act". Indian Pediatr. 2012;49:445-7.