Most Are Normal When Melissa's son was found to be XXY five years ago at the age of 8, after blood tests were done to see why he was suffering from inexplicable and severe learning and emotional problems, Melissa was hard put to find anyone else who had a son with this condition.

Parallel to these institutions, Riskin also established the first ever programs for young men and women from the Diaspora with severe learning and developmental difficulties to spend a year studying Torah in Israel while also gaining vocational training.

Her third grader, Oscar, has an I.E.P. dated April 8, 2003, that calls for a laptop computer to help with his severe learning and writing disabilities.

Founded 24 years ago for teen-agers with severe learning and behavior problems, the school accepts students who are unwanted by their home school districts or have failed at other institutions.

To the Editor: It was encouraging to read about the religious education geared to children with severe learning or developmental disabilities (In the Schools column: "Religious Instruction Meeting Special Needs," Feb. 1).

However, what was not mentioned in this article is the manner in which the Solomon Schecter School in White Plains goes about meeting the needs of children with much less severe learning or other developmental disabilities, whose parents want their children to attend Solomon Schecter rather than public school on a daily basis.

Pupils follow a curriculum based on National Curriculum core subjects together with activities that offer education for pupils having special moderate to severe learning difficulties that include a wide range of disabilities from autism, behavioural, emotional and social problems.

During its lifetime, it set up around 40 institutions, beginning with three hospitals for smallpox and fever cases, and two large asylums for what were then termed 'imbeciles' - people with severe learning difficulties.

The Trump International Institute has also established a "Special University" offering yearly higher educational opportunities to some 100-200 adults with severe learning and adjustment disabilities.

A fireman helps a single mother search for her missing son, a 4-year-old with severe learning disabilities.