Introduction
Parents often feel concerned when their child struggles with school tasks. There are many reasons for school failure, but one common cause is a specific learning disability. Children with learning disabilities may have normal intelligence, but their condition can lead to concerns about their overall cognitive abilities. These children may try very hard to follow instructions, focus, and do well at home and in school, yet despite their efforts, they may fall behind in mastering school tasks.
Overview and Facts
Learning disabilities affect at least 1 in 10 schoolchildren. Child and adolescent psychiatrists recognize that early intervention can reduce the long-term consequences of learning disabilities. However, if left undetected and untreated, the challenges may worsen over time. For example, a child who struggles with basic addition in elementary school may face difficulty understanding algebra in high school. The frustration of trying hard and failing can lead to emotional problems, such as low self-esteem. Some children with learning disabilities may even misbehave in school to avoid being seen as "stupid."
Symptoms
Common signs of learning disabilities in children include:
Difficulty understanding and following instructions
Trouble remembering what was just said
Struggles to master reading, spelling, writing, and/or math skills
Difficulty distinguishing right from left, or reversing letters, words, or numbers (e.g., confusing 25 with 52, "b" with "d," or "on" with "no")
Lack of coordination in physical activities like walking, sports, or even tasks like holding a pencil or tying shoelaces
Frequently losing or misplacing homework, schoolbooks, or personal items
Difficulty understanding the concept of time, or confusion with terms like "yesterday," "today," or "tomorrow"
Causes and Risk Factors
Learning disabilities are believed to arise from issues with the nervous system that affect how information is received, processed, or communicated. They may also run in families. Additionally, some children with learning disabilities may also be hyperactive, unable to sit still, easily distracted, and have a short attention span.
Tests and Diagnosis
There is no single "test" for learning disabilities, and approaches to diagnosis can vary. The characteristics of a learning disability may differ from one child to another, and what appears in children can manifest differently in adolescents and adults. Learning disabilities may be more obvious in some situations and hidden in others. The key to identifying a learning disability is assessing the child’s strengths and weaknesses, ruling out other factors that might contribute to the issues, and focusing on the specific challenges the child is facing. This allows for timely decisions about targeted intervention and support.
Treatment
The first step is to understand the child’s learning difficulties and how they affect communication, self-help skills, discipline, play, and independence. A comprehensive evaluation by an expert is essential to assess all the factors affecting the child. A child and adolescent psychiatrist can coordinate this evaluation, working with school professionals to clarify whether a learning disability exists. This process includes speaking with the child and family, reviewing educational testing, and consulting with the school. Based on the evaluation, the psychiatrist will make recommendations for the child’s educational placement and determine if special services, such as educational support or speech-language therapy, are necessary. Individual or family therapy may also be recommended. If the child is hyperactive or easily distracted, medication may be prescribed. It’s important for parents to find a balance between offering too much or too little support for their child to help them achieve their educational goals. Strengthening the child’s self-confidence is crucial for their development, as is helping family members understand and cope with the challenges of living with a child who has learning disabilities.
Sources and Links
http://www.aacap.org