Curious About Learning Disabilities?

I am surprised how often learning disabilities (or learning disorders) are misunderstood. This label can be mistakenly used as a general description for a child who has any type of learning challenges, including by pediatricians and other medical doctors.  But a learning disorder is actually a specific pattern in how a child’s overall cognitive versus academic skills (and sometimes language-related skills) are developing.  If your child is mislabeled, they may not get the right help.  Just because your child has trouble at school does not mean they have a learning disorder. 

Let’s address common MYTHS and MISUNDERSTANDINGS:

• Learning disorders are related to low intelligence or low cognitive abilities. 
  • Not true.  A learning disorder is diagnosed when a child’s intellectual functioning and other cognitive areas are generally age-appropriate (or higher), BUT the child does not make expected progress in reading, math, and/or writing (spelling). Here is what I hear from parents, “He is so smart, but he struggles at school with …[reading, math, writing, spelling]… ” or  “despite repetition and practice, she cannot retain what she learns”. 
  • Some BRIGHT individuals can mask their learning disorder for a period of time.  They work hard and it (mostly) pays off. But without supports, school can become very challenging as demands increase.  Red flags might start at any time, including big transition points in 3-4^th grade, middle school, high school, or even college. These children are at risk of not completing their education as they so desired because they may struggle to keep up.
• Learning disorders can be due to lazy, unmotivated behavior.
  • Not true.  Effort and motivation have nothing to do with a learning disorder. HOWEVER, when appropriate supports and intervention are NOT put into place when needed, children are at risk of becoming unmotivated.  They may give up or refuse to do their schoolwork because it’s incredibly difficult and they lack the tools they need to complete grade level expectations.  If they also have symptoms of ADHD, you may notice that they have good days and bad days, making it more challenging to know how attention problems and self-regulation further impact learning.
• Repeating a grade will help my child catch up.
  • Not likely. Children with a learning disorder learn differently. This means that repeating the same type of instruction that did not work the first time will not be effective the second time. The teaching curriculum and instructional materials need to include structured literacy (for reading and spelling) and multisensory materials (for math, reading, spelling) that are taught systematically.  A child should not move on to more complex concepts until the child masters the fundamentals. 
• A child with a learning disorder will grow out of it.
  • Not true (for the large majority).  A learning disorder occurs due to neurological differences in how the brain processes and retains skills associated with reading, math, and/or writing (spelling).  With the right instruction, a child’s learning disorder can be (mostly) remediated and an adult can excel with their education and/or job training. However, differences will likely persist into adulthood.  For example, a bright individual with a learning disorder in reading (also called dyslexia) who received excellent, empirically supported intervention may read more slowly when the text is unfamiliar or dense, and they may not be great at spelling.  They likely need to put more time and effort into reading (e.g., outlining chapters) to retain new information.  Individuals with less subtle learning disorders will likely avoid (or become tired during) academic related activities in adulthood such as reading for pleasure. Interestingly, when dyslexia is remediated, an adult can become an avid reader in areas of specific interest or expertise, including novels or professional topics.

An evaluation for learning disorder(s) requires the following:

1. Detailed developmental and educational history because early symptoms of learning disorders evolve across stages in childhood.  It’s very helpful to know about a family history of learning disorder. Disruptions to your child’s education (i.e., excessive absences), any medical conditions or risk factors, and language (i.e., English as second language) barriers also need to be understood.
2. Review of your child’s school records, school work samples, and talking with teachers can be rich sources of information.
3. Your child will need to complete standardized testing that evaluates different domains of cognitive and language abilities compared to other children the same age.
4. Your child will also need a thorough assessment of academic skills in the areas of concern, including the foundational skills that may be weak. For example, in a child with reading problems, it will be critical to assess a child’s phonological processing and other language-based skills.  

Learning challenges can be incredibly complex to understand.  But there are ways you can start supporting your child now.  Read more about the following related topics:

• Why Can’t My Child Retain Information?  https://pedneurocenter.com/why-cant-my-child-retain-information/
• Teaching Early Numeracy Skills to Young Children: https://pedneurocenter.com/teaching-early-numeracy-skills-to-young-children/
• Early Signs of Dyslexia: https://pedneurocenter.com/early-signs-of-dyslexia/
• Structured Literacy is the Most Effective Reading Intervention: https://pedneurocenter.com/structured-literacy-is-the-most-effective-reading-intervention/
• The Importance of Reading Aloud to Your Child:  https://pedneurocenter.com/the-importance-of-reading-aloud-to-your-child/
• Psychoeducational vs. Neuropsychological Evaluation: https://pedneurocenter.com/psychoeducational-vs-neuropsychological-evaluation/

If you are unsure whether your child with learning differences has a learning disorder, gather information so you can make a plan. 

Talk with your child’s teachers to ask what they notice. Also ask about the type of instruction your child is receiving in reading and math.  If your child has an IEP team, call a meeting to discuss your concerns and how interventions could be adjusted to promote better progress.  If your child is at a private school, explore what resources might be available. 

If your child is not getting what they need and the school team seems to be stuck, contact us for a free consultation at [email protected]

Related posts:

Psychoeducational vs. Neuropsychological Evaluation If Your Child Needs Help in the Public Schools… Does My Child Need Help? Do You Need A Second Opinion About Your Child’s Development?