How To Get My Child Assessed For Learning Difficulties

By: Jennifer Zubler, MD, FAAP

Children learn many skills in life—how to listen and speak, for example, or how to read, write, and do math. Some skills may be harder to larn than others. If your child has had appropriate learning experiences and instruction, only is non able to keep up with peers, information technology'due south of import to notice out why and how to aid.

Children who acquire and recollect differently can succeed in school, work, and relationships. Often, they tin can do good from assist that uses their strengths and targets any areas of need.

What is a learning disability (LD)?

Learning disability is a term used to depict a range of learning and thinking differences that can touch the way the brain takes in, uses, stores, and sends out information. Some children take specific learning disabilities (as well known every bit LDs), such as reading or math disabilities. Others may accept weather that touch learning like attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or hearing loss. Many children with learning differences and difficulties tin have more than than i learning disability or status that affects learning.

What causes learning difficulties?

There are many reasons why a kid may have difficulties learning. The causes aren't always known, only in many cases children have a parent or relative with the aforementioned or similar learning and thinking differences and difficulties. Other chance factors include low nativity weight and prematurity, or an injury or illness during childhood (for example, caput injury, pb poisoning, a childhood illness like meningitis).

Regardless of the cause of learning difficulties, the first step is to recognize your child is struggling and to discuss your concerns with your child's teachers and dr.. Together, you tin can find out what is contributing to the difficulties and make sure your child gets any assistance needed.

How do I know if my child has learning differences and difficulties?

Learning and thinking differences aren't always obvious, but there are some signs that could mean your child needs help. Keep in listen that children develop and learn at different rates. Talk with your child'due south teacher and let your child'southward medico know if your child shows any of the following signs:

How Nosotros Plant Answers & Support

By Jon Morin

As a babe and toddler, my son Benjamin met or exceeded every developmental milestone on the list. He was stacking dozens of blocks past the fourth dimension he should accept been able to stack several. He talked very early and was reading at some level by 2 years quondam. I was thrilled to have such a bright, happy, and active child.

Still, at that place was something different most this child. He seemed to never stop moving—his body or his brain. He was alert and aware all the time, never napped, and hardly ever slept for more than than a few hours at a time. He wasn't fussy, but he just seemed to exist on 24-7.

Once Benjamin was in preschool, his differences became more than credible. He was more active than the other kids—always bouncing in his chair or walking about the room. When he was concentrating hard or excited, he would flap his arms and legs. He was very sensitive to textures and sounds. Benjamin seemed anxious, too.

I didn't know what information technology all meant, but I knew it wasn't the norm. My wife was worried, also. As a one-time early on intervention specialist, she knows a lot well-nigh child development. But even with all that knowledge in our household, nosotros still didn't know what was going on. And then we talked information technology over and decided I would take him in to come across the pediatrician.

I wasn't sure near the appointment. I didn't know what to ask, and I didn't know if the pediatrician would know what to do with my concerns. And so instead of asking questions, I just described my observations on what seemed unlike to me. I described his constant motility, his feet, and his sensitivities. I described his repeated questions and repetitious activities and how he would line up his toy cars into rows and talk about them just equally much as playing with them.

Our pediatrician listened intently and asked some clarifying questions. When I was washed describing, right away he knew what our next step should be: He referred us to a developmental-behavioral pediatrician who specializes in neurology.

I was relieved to have a clear course of action. The developmental-behavioral pediatrician did the advisable assessments and ultimately gave my son his diagnoses of ADHD and autism spectrum disorder.

I had mixed emotions when Benjamin got the diagnoses. Only I was then grateful to our pediatrician for helping us get answers. Benjamin now gets the support and services he needs to thrive. He really is a happy and fun kid, and he doesn't consider having ADHD or autism labels. They are just part of his identity.

Thanks to the assistance of the pediatrician, our family is set up for success. Not all children with learning differences will demand to come across a specialist or have the same diagnosis every bit our son. I encourage you lot to talk with your pediatrician to help figure out what is best for your kid. I'g and so glad we had the conversation.

Jon Morin is a contributing blogger for Understood.org, which encourages parents to Take N.O.T.E.

Notice if anything is out of the ordinary.
Observe behaviors to decide patterns.
Talk to a teacher, social worker or caregiver to validate.
Engage with trusted professionals, like pediatricians.

Preschool children may have:

Delays in language development. Past 2½ years of historic period, your preschool-historic period child should be able to talk in phrases or brusque sentences.
Problem with voice communication. By three years of age, your child should speak well plenty and so that adults tin can empathize most of what they say.
Trouble learning colors, shapes, letters, and numbers.
Problem rhyming words.
Problem with coordination. Past 5 years of age, your child should be able to push clothing, employ scissors, and hop. They should exist able to copy a circle, square, or triangle.
Brusque attention spans. Between 3 to v years of historic period, your child should exist able to sit however and listen to a short story. As your child gets older, they should exist able to pay attention for a longer time.
Frustration or acrimony when trying to learn.

School-anile children and teens may detect it difficult to:

Follow directions.
Get and stay organized at habitation and schoolhouse.
Empathise verbal directions.
Learn facts and remember information.
Read, spell, or sound out words.
Write clearly (may have poor handwriting).
Practise math calculations or give-and-take problems.
Focus on and cease schoolwork.
Explain data clearly with speech or in writing.

Is there a cure for learning disabilities?

There is not necessarily a "cure" for learning disabilities, but there are many ways to help children and families manage them in a way that helps children learn and thrive in life. Be wary of people and groups who claim to have elementary answers or solutions. You lot may hear about middle exercises, torso movements, special diets, vitamins, and nutritional supplements. There's no good testify that these work. If in doubt, talk with your kid's medico. Also, you tin contact trusted resource like the ones listed at the bottom of this page for more data.

Who can help?

Talk with your child's doctor and teachers about any learning struggles you discover. Pediatricians tin evaluate developmental delays and other weather condition that may be contributing to learning difficulties. They can also refer you to specialists in neurodevelopmental disabilities, developmental and behavioral pediatrics, child neurology, or child psychology, for example. Teachers and other education specialists perform screening or evaluation tests to identify problems and decide if early on interventions or schoolhouse-based supports can aid. Almost school evaluation teams include psychologists and learning specialists.

four ways parents can aid children who larn and call back differently

In addition to working with your child'southward teachers and doctors, yous can help support your child with learning disabilities and difficulties. For example:

Focus on strengths. All children have things they do well and things that are difficult for them. Find your kid'due south strengths and aid them learn to use them. Your child might exist skillful at math, music, or sports. She could be skilled at fine art, working with tools, or caring for animals. Exist sure to praise your child often when she does well or succeeds at a task.
Develop social and emotional skills. Learning differences combined with the challenges of growing up tin can make your child sad, angry, or withdrawn. Help your child by providing dear and support while acknowledging that learning is difficult because their brain learns in a dissimilar style. Try to find clubs, teams, and other activities that focus on friendship and fun. These activities should also build confidence. And recall, competition isn't only nigh winning.
Utilize resources & support groups to assistance you learn more about parenting a kid with learning difficulties. Learning and thinking differences are mutual. You and your child are not alone in this journey.
Program for the future. Many parents whose child learns and thinks differently worry about the future. Help your child plan for adulthood by encouraging them to consider their strengths and interests in education and career choices. Remind them that learning differently isn't tied to how smart they are. In fact, many people with learning difficulties are very bright and abound up to be highly successful at what they practise. Special career and work programs can help build confidence by education controlling and job skills. Many colleges accept programs to support students who learn and think differently successfully earn a caste.

Call up

Children who learn and call up differently can thrive with the right back up. The sooner you know what'south going on with your kid, the sooner yous can become your child help. Talk with your child'southward teachers and doctor if you lot take whatever concerns about your child'due south learning.

More information

What to Practice If Your Kid Is Falling Behind at Schoolhouse
ADHD & Learning During COVID-19
Ask the Pediatrician: I've heard that if a babe skips crawling, they may have trouble reading afterward. Is this true?
Ask the Pediatrician: How tin I help my child, who has a developmental disability, cope during COVID-19?
Understood.org: Take N.O.T.E.
Council for Infrequent Children
Learning Disabilities Association of America
Learning Disabilities Worldwide
National Center for Learning Disabilities
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services

About Dr. Zubler

Jennifer Zubler, MD, FAAP, is a board-certified pediatrician who serves on the executive committee of the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. She completed a Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities fellowship at Georgia State Academy (GA-LEND) where she continues to mentor trainees. In addition, Dr. Zubler volunteers equally the coordinator of a multidisciplinary developmental and behavioral pediatric dispensary in Georgia.

The information independent on this Web site should not exist used every bit a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in handling that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.

Source: https://healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/learning-disabilities/Pages/Learning-Disabilities-What-Parents-Need-To-Know.aspx

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