Learning Disability Testing

Parenting is touch and go at times for many families. Your child does not come with an owner's manual and it can be hard to know when something is not right. You can find great books on parenting that are worth the time it takes to read through them and think about what is included, but the answers are not always clear. If your child is struggling in school, you may think that they are being lazy, distracted, or perhaps that your child simply isn't all that smart. Before you make any of those assumptions, think about learning disability testing to make sure something else is not going on.

The first thing to do before you start learning disability testing is to make sure your child can see and hear. They were screened at birth (or shortly there after) and perhaps a few times while younger, but problems can come up out of nowhere. They could be struggling with classwork and school in general simply because they have hearing loss or vision problems. Get those two things out of the way first to make sure those are not problems for your child, and then you can think about learning disability testing to see if that could be the problem.

There are many different learning disabilities that could be a problem for your child or children. Dyslexia is a problem that is often missed in students that are struggling with reading and math. Those with this condition see things in reverse at times, making reading both words and numbers next to impossible. As you can imagine, this makes learning even the simplest things hard. Bright students have gotten lost in the system simply because they have not gone though learning disability testing that could have pinpointed this problem.

ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and ADD (attention deficit disorder) are two very common problems that can stop a child from learning at their full potential. Children with these conditions are often very bright, but can not stay on task long enough to show anyone what they can do. These children can often be very disruptive in class, and teachers can brand them as trouble makers with low IQ when in fact they are very intelligent and have no control over some of their more impulsive behaviors. When these problems arise with your child, see about learning disability testing for ADHD and ADD to see if that may be the issue.

Remember that there can be an emotional price for children who are undergoing learning disability testing. They may feel as if they are stupid and worthless. Let your child know that trouble learning does not mean they are any different or any less intelligent than any other child. It just means they may need a new way to learn. If they feel down or you notice depression, talk with your school counselor to see if perhaps your child could use some extra help getting over the emotional issues that are bound to pop up.