Do you have concerns about your child’s development?
~For parents raising children in Japan~
Japan has been seeing an increase in the number of foreign people living and raising their children in the country. If you are currently worried about your child’sdevelopment, you may feel lost, not knowing where to go or whom to ask for help. Japan does have institutions around the country that provide support for parents
who are concerned about their child’s development. We hope this leaflet helps you connect to information and support that you may need.

You may notice that your child…
1.Shows delay in language development 2.Does not respond to name
3.Does not or rarely make eye contact
4.Is very sensitive to sounds (covers the ears)
5.Not interested in other children and/or does not play with other children
6.Is restless and is in constant motion
7.Has limited interests (in certain colors, trademarks, symbols, letters, numbers, etc.)
8.Does not act like other children in a group activity
9.Is delayed in learning self-care activities such as toileting and changing clothes
10.Often has major tantrums that last a long time

A child’s behaviors and tendencies like these can be a source of parental
concerns
While such behaviors can be temporary, it is also possible that your child has
developmental problems or a developmental disorder.

What are developmental disorders?
Developmental disorders (DDs) are characterized by deficits in the development of brain
functions and are congenital in many cases. There are different types of DDs as shown below.
Even people with the same disorder show different manifestations. It is also possible to havemore than one type of DD.

●Language delay

Attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD)●Unable to focus●Unable to stay still●Impulsive behaviors(Not observed in Asperger’s syndrome)●Communication difficulty●Problems in social interaction●Ritualized/stereotypical behaviors, limited

interests, obsessiveness●Hyper- or hypo-sensitivity, physical clumsiness

Every local government provides complimentary baby health checkups. Please make use of the checkup
because it is an important opportunity to learn about your child’s health and development.
●Examination by a doctor. Every checkup is free of charge; there are no additional fees for consultation.
●For the details of the checkup schedule, please contact your local government as each area follows
different schedules.
●Each checkup is only available when your child is within the specified age range.
【Infant checkup】
When your child is 3 to 4 months old. Consultation with a public health nurse if you have any concerns.
Nutritionist`s recommendations.
【18-month checkup】
After your child has turned 18 months and before turning 24 months.
Consultation with a public health nurse if you have any concerns.
【3-year checkup】
After your child has turned 3 and before turning 4. Urinary test. Vision and auditory tests. Consultation
with a public health nurse, a nutritionist, or a psychologist if you have any concerns.
【Health checkup on admission to school】
You will be notified by the local board of education around September of the year before starting school,as children enter school in the April following their 6th birthday. Held at the elementary school your childis entering【School entry】
The local board of education or education center offers consultations for children with disabilities orconcerns about elementary school life. School entry consultation is by appointment only. Please contact
your local board of education for an appointment.

May also have a delay inintellectual development
Pervasive developmental disorder(Autistic spectrum disorder; ASD)
AutismAsperger’s syndrome

Utilize the Health Checkup

Learning disorder (LD)(Specific learning disorder; SLD)
●Prominent difficulty in either reading,writing, or calculating

Note: Other DDs include Tourette syndrome, stuttering, and developmental coordination disorder

Education for children with disabilities
The board of education decides what type of schooling isbest suited for a child while respecting the parents’ andchild’s wishes as much as possible.
Elementary schools have “special classes” for children withvarious educational needs and/or “resource rooms” where children
receive special instructions while enrolling in regular classes.
There are also “schools for special needs education” for children
with severe disabilities.

Utilize consultation services
Personality traits and developmental trajectories differ from child to child. It is important to consult early when you
have any concerns so that you can address them appropriately.
●For concerns related to parenting and/or development of your child, consult a public health nurse working for thelocal government.
●If your child attends preschool or kindergarten, discuss with the teachers on regular basis how s/he is doing inclassroom.
●Your local government may offer individual consultations or on-site consultations at your child’s preschool orkindergarten by dispatching development counselors.
●Your local government may offer group workshops for parents and their children to learn how tointeract with your child in a way appropriate for the child’s developmental stage.
Note: Details of consultation services vary among local governments. Please contact a public health nurse at yourlocal public health institute/center for more information.

Certificates for Persons with Disabilities
Having the Certification for Person with Disabilities allows access to various welfare
services and allowances depending on the kind and severity of the disability. You mustobtain the certificate from your local government office.
There are three types of certificate corresponding to the types of disability: The
Intellectual Disability Certificate (Rehabilitation Certificate), the Mental Disability
Certificate, and the Physical Disability Certificate.
Having a certificate simplifies the procedure to receive welfare services.
The amount of allowance depends on the type and severity of disability.
Individual welfare services, such as eligibility, differ among local governments.
Note:For more information, please contact the local government division in charge ofwelfare.

Additional information
Seeing a doctor
In Japan, diagnosis of DDs is made by a specialist such as pediatrician or child psychiatrist.
If you wish to see a doctor, it is a good idea to:●Ask your local public health nurses or the Support Center for Persons with DDs, where you can find DDs
specialists. (Please note that many hospitals require an appointment.)●Bring your child’s health insurance card and the Maternal and Child Health Handbook with you on the first doctor'svisit.
●Write down your concerns and how your child is at home and/or preschool to share with the doctor.
Assessment and therapy
The doctor may want your child to take assessments and/or get individual therapies by specialized staff. The
decision will be based on your child’s needs and conditions. Assessments include intelligence/developmental tests,
an auditory test, and electroencephalography.
If your child is diagnosed with a DD…
It can be very worrying to find out that your child has a DD. However, his/her developmental outcome can bepositively affected by adjusting the environments and your interactions with him/her. Please discuss and find out
what will work for your child with the doctor and specialized staff.

Support Centers for Persons with Developmental Disabilities/Disorders
The Act on Support for Persons with Developmental Disabilities
The Act on Support for Persons with Developmental Disabilities is a Japanese law established for the purpose ofproviding support to children with DDs (regardless of their age) and their families.
The act aims to achieve a society where children with DDs can realize their potential and families can raise themwith a sense of security.
Support Centers for Persons with Developmental Disabilities/Disorders
There are various organizations that offer consultation services for people with DDs and their families in Japan.
Every prefecture and ordinance-designated city has a Support Center for Persons with Developmental
Disabilities/Disorders, which plays a central role in providing information and support.
Please refer to the following website for information on the support centers across the country:
Information and Support Centerfor Persons with Developmental Disorders【Support Center for Persons with DDs in your region】
http://www.rehab.go.jp/ddis/
Name:Contact:◆Portal Site on Policies for Foreign Residents
This portal site was created by the Cabinet Office and has a list of telephone
consultations in foreign languages sorted by prefecture.
https://www8.cao.go.jp/teiju-portal/jpn/index.html◆AMDA International Medical Information Center
This is a telephone information service for foreign residents that provides information on
medical facilities where you can see a doctor in your native language.
Tokyo Office 03-6233-9266 https://www.amdamedicalcenter.com/activities◆Google Translate by Google LLC
This app provides text translation, instant camera and photo translation, handwritingtranslation, and speech/conversation translation for a number of languages, all free ofcharge.
◆VoiceTra by the National Institute of Information and Communications
This is a Japanese speech translation app for 31 languages.
You can download and use this app free of charge.
http://voicetra.nict.go.jp/en/index.html◆CLARINET
Informational website by MEXT
Provides educational information for Japanese children living abroad, Japanese
returnees from overseas, and those with foreign backgrounds.
http://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/shotou/clarinet/003.htm◆Promotion Center of Education for Persons with Developmental Disorders
Provides information on teaching strategies, materials, and assistive devices forchildren with DDs, research on DDs.
http://icedd_new.nise.go.jp/[Publisher]
Information and Support Center for Persons with DevelopmentalDisorders
Division of Planning and Information, National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with
Disabilities:

http://www.rehab.go.jp/ddis/
National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with
Disabilities

Information and Support Center for
Persons with Developmental Disorders［Issue］ March 2019