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Could your child have a learning disability?
The odds are higher than you think.
According to information from the National Center for Learning Disabilities, nearly 2.9 million U.S. students are currently receiving special education services for learning disabilities and the number is growing as parents, educators and physicians become more aware of the signs of learning problems. Unfortunately, many parents think their children will simply grow out of their problems and delay having them evaluated. But new evidence confirms what specialists have always believed—early intervention for learning disabilities and developmental problems like autism can significant improve a child’s outcome.
“When we’re able to start aggressively addressing learning and developmental problems while children are still young, we’re better able to give them the tools they need to thrive in the world,” says PinnacleCare Chief Medical Officer Dr. Miles J. Varn. “As a parent, you know your children best. If something about their development or ability to learn does not seem on target to you, you should be their vocal advocate with teachers and physicians.”
What are learning disabilities?
There are a wide range of problems that can negatively affect your child’s ability to learn. Some are simply “mechanical”—vision or hearing problems for example that can be corrected with glasses or hearing aids. Others are more complex and can be harder to define, such as processing problems and attention disorders. Still others are just beginning to be examined, such as non-verbal learning disorders which are characterized by a child’s inability to read physical cues like facial expressions and tone of voice.
Reading problems
The largest concentration of learning disabilities falls into the category of reading difficulties, with 80 percent of students with learning disabilities having problems with reading. One of the most common forms is dyslexia. Statistics suggest that 15 to 20 percent of the U.S. population has a reading disability, with 85 percent of that population having dyslexia.
People with dyslexia have problems acquiring and using language and the signs of the problem can be noted before a child starts learning to read. Some children start to speak later than the average child. Others have trouble learning what letters look like and associating the appropriate sound with the letter. Other signs include difficulty with spelling, substituting one small sight word, like I or was, for another, trouble with math computations, difficulty learning a foreign language and a disparity between listening and reading comprehension.
Like all learning disabilities, people affected by dyslexia may have some of these signs or others not outlined here. The only way to confirm that someone has dyslexia is to have a thorough evaluation by either an outside specialist or a specialist within their school.
The treatment of dyslexia involves providing students with learning tools better suited to the way their brains are wired, for example including using learning methods that rely on several senses (hearing, touch, sound) rather than solely on sight and reading. Students with dyslexia often need extra time to complete tests and assignments and benefit from working one-on-one with an academic therapist. Others do well when they listen to taped lectures or do all their writing on a computer. No one approach works for every child, so it is important to tailor a system made of learning tools that fit each individual’s needs.
Math problems
The general term for life-long problems with math is dyscalculia. Like reading problems, the specifics and areas affected can vary widely from person to person. Math problems can manifest themselves in several forms, from young children having trouble learning the meaning of numbers (how many five is, for example), difficulty with sorting, and trouble with concepts like bigger and smaller. As the children grow older, the signs of dyscalculia take the form of difficulties acquiring math facts, performing basic operations like addition and subtraction and weakness in visual-spatial skills.
If professional assessment finds your child has dyscalculia, the best approach is to supply him or her with alternative strategies for performing math operations that focus on his or her strengths, for example drawing pictures to illustrate and better understand a problem. Each child’s strategy will be highly individualized and it’s often beneficial to find a tutor who can work to help your child develop a strategy and hone skills.
Writing problems
Dysgraphia is the name used to describe problems with writing including handwriting skills, trouble getting ideas down on paper in an organized way and poor spelling. Some signs that your child may have dysgraphia include a tight, awkward pencil grip, saying words aloud while writing, difficulty with grammar and a significant gap between what your child can express through speech and writing.
To address the problems that this learning disability presents, you should work with your child’s teacher to provide accommodations like reducing the amount of written work required, allowing more time for writing assignments and on tests, allowing keyboarding instead of hand written work and not taking points off for spelling in written work. Additional practice and support in learning how to effective expressive oneself in writing is also beneficial.
Processing deficits
This category of learning disabilities covers a great deal of ground. Processing deficits affect how a person receives and understands the information they take in through their senses, especially hearing and sight. Children with visual processing problems may reverse letters, have troubling copying down information accurately, lose their place frequently when reading or doing school work or have trouble recognizing words when only part of the word is shown. Auditory processing problems can include being easily distracted by background noise which they can’t filter out from what they are supposed to listen to, difficulty understanding rapid speech or have trouble processing and remembering language-based tasks like instructions.
The best strategy for a child dealing with this type of learning problem is to work with teachers and other specialists to find the best set of tools for the individual child to circumvent his or her problem areas.
Other problems that can impede learning
Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism are not categorized as learning disabilities, but they can have a profound impact on a child’s ability to learn. Approximately two million children in this country have been diagnosed with ADHD, the symptoms of which include difficulty paying attention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. While all children display these behaviors at times, a child with ADHD manifests these behaviors consistently over a period of months or more. Most people are more familiar with the hyperactive, impulsive type of this disorder. However, inattention or a tendency to “daydream” is an equally prevalent sign of ADHD.
Proper diagnosis of ADHD is best made by a professional such as a child psychiatrist or psychologist, developmental/behavioral pediatrician or behavioral neurologist. Current treatment of ADHD combines medication and behavioral therapy that helps children build self-awareness and coping tools. Making teachers, coaches and other adults in your child’s life aware that he or she has ADHD is also important so that your child receives the needed support and is not seen as disruptive or disinterested.
Autism spectrum disorders can also affect your child’s ability to learn and make social connections. A group of developmental disorders of varying intensity, the signs of autism can include difficulty with social interaction, problems with communication and repetitive behaviors or narrow, obsessive interests. According to statistics gathered by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, three to six children out of every thousand have a form of autism.
Children with autism may develop normally for a time, then withdraw from social interaction, failing to respond to their names and avoiding eye contact. They may also perform repetitive movements like twirling or rocking. Many don’t use toys appropriately, lining blocks up by color, for instance, but never building with them. They don’t engage in interactive play with other children and can be extra sensitive to sounds and touch.
The diagnosis of autism calls for an interdisciplinary medical team that includes a psychologist, neurologist, psychiatrist, speech therapist, and other professionals. Though there is no cure for autism, early diagnosis and intervention can help children lead their fullest possible lives. And, according to a study at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, accurate diagnosis is possible at a younger age than ever before. The study found that autism could be accurately diagnosed in children at fourteen months. Previously diagnosis was made closer to 30 to 36 months.
“What's most exciting about these important advancements in autism diagnosis is that ongoing intervention research leads us to believe it is most effective and least costly when provided to younger children,” explains Dr. Gary Goldstein, President and CEO of the Kennedy Krieger Institute. “When a child goes undiagnosed until five or six years old, there is a tremendous loss of potential for intervention that can make a marked difference in that child's outcome.”
Focus on your child’s strengths
While having a learning disability may make learning tougher for a child, expert Dr. Mel Levine, Director of the University of North Carolina's Clinical Center for the Study of Development and Learning, and a co-founder of All Kinds of Minds, an organization that analyzes learning differences, says it’s important to focus on children’s strengths rather than letting their learning differences define them.
“It's taken for granted in adult society that we cannot all be ‘generalists’ skilled in every area of learning and mastery. Nevertheless, we apply tremendous pressure to our children to be good at everything. They are expected to shine in math, reading, writing, speaking, spelling, memorization, comprehension, problem solving...and none of us adults can do all this,” says Dr. Levine. His advice is to help your child get better at what he or she is good at and to improve any weaknesses.
PinnacleCare Members can turn to their Advocate who can be a valuable ally in efforts to find out if a child has a learning or developmental problem and who also help craft an individually tailored strategy that will help the child thrive.
“Every student can benefit from a greater understanding of his own strengths and weaknesses along with a plan for optimizing learning and performance,” adds Dr. Levine. “Helping parents, teachers, and students appreciate learning differences is the first step. Helping them celebrate the differences is the goal.”
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