Most children have interesting interior lives that contain dreams, fantasies, hopes, fears, beliefs and their unconscious lives. This can be inferred from their preoccupations, stories, plays, games, conversations and behaviour. Because many children with special needs are emotionally confused, anxious and angry, their inner lives often contain secrets that may be permanent and damaging. These children nevertheless put out clear signals that they want to be understood.

Ved Prakash Varma is the editor of The Inner Life of Children with Special Needs, published by Wiley.