Does My Child Have a Learning Handicap?

Our Mission: To ensure success for all individuals with learning disabilities in school, at work and in life. (National Center for Learning Disabilities)
http://www.ncld.org/

I like that mission statement very much. As a Special Education professional for over twenty years, I witnessed wonderful success for most of our students identified with a learning disability, or specific learning handicap. But that is with identification of the problem, a current and evolving individual learning plan development, and a coordinated team effort to execute the plan every day, including the family.

Reading and writing frustration may be a first sign.

Do you wonder if your child has a learning disability? Here is some information on where to start to find answers for your questions.

Specific Learning Disabilities – Definitions
http://www.learningrx.com/specific-learning-disabilities.htm 

 

Introduction to Learning Disabilities  

A child may have normal performance except in reading.

http://www.naset.org/2522.0.html

Learning Disabilities: Signs, Symptoms and Strategies

 http://www.ldaamerica.us/aboutld/parents/ld_basics/ld.asp

Sometimes children have a different way of interpreting speech and sounds that interfere with learning.

About Auditory Processing Disorder

http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/ears/central_auditory.html 

Other times children may have a different way of interpreting what they see that interferes with learning.

 Visual Processing Disorders 

http://www.ncld.org/ld-basics/related-issues/information-processing/visual-processing-disorders 

All children change every day, that's a part of growing up. Maybe there is not a disability. Check with your child's school and if you, as the parent, believe your child needs to be checked by the district educational psychologist for the possibility of a specific learning disability, by all means insist upon it. A few changes in the style of instruction can mean a huge difference in your child's academic performance. And the process of checking may indicate some valuable suggestions for helping your child learn even if there is no disability.

Teacher's smile is essential in learning. Plus, look at this interesting, cheerful classroom. I spot computers, a pocket chart just waiting for something to read. I bet that rocking chair is for storytime.