Does My Child have a Learning Disorder?
Although the term “learning disorder” sounds quite scary, the reality is that millions of students in America are diagnosed with some form of it. Sometimes even the best student in school has a diagnosed learning disorder. So how do you know if your child has one?
First we must understand exactly what a learning disorder is. Although I previously wrote about Learning Disorders extensively, they can be summed up as:
A significant difference between a student’s expected achievement level and his actual performance.
So what does that mean? Let’s look at the different types of learning disorders.
The Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), which is the most widely-used reference when diagnosing individuals, includes three distinct Specific Learning Disorders:
Reading (dyslexia)
Writing (dysgraphia)
Math (dyscalculia)
While these are the three distinct diagnosable learning disorders, there are other conditions that may be considered “learning disabilities” that impact a student’s academic functioning. Often times these conditions are identified by pediatricians or other medical specialists. Some of the more common learning disabilities include:
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Auditory Processing Disorder (understanding auditory cues)
Sensory Processing Disorder (sensitivity to external stimuli)
Developmental Coordination Disorder (often impacts handwriting)
Anxiety Disorders
To be clear, while many people use the terms interchangeably, Learning Disorders (i.e., dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia) are separate and distinct from learning disabilities. However, whether it is an actual learning disorder or a separate condition altogether, these conditions can significantly impact a student’s academic achievement.
So, how do you determine if your child is suffering from one or more of these? It all comes down his baseline achievement level vs. his or her actual performance level. Let’s look at 2 examples:
1) A 9th grade student is taking geometry and having a difficult time understanding the information. He did really well in Algebra I during 8th grade, but his scores on his geometry exams are very low. You, as a parent, are confused because he has typically done well in math. But now he is struggling.
Geometry deals with shapes, figures, and spatial relationships. This particular student may indeed have high ability in math (as evidenced by his excellent grades in Algebra), but he may be having a hard time with the visual component of the subject. Consequently, a learning disability in the area of visual processing may be an underlying cause of his struggles.
2) A fourth grade student is reading at a sixth grade rate. She is able to tell you details about a story she reads, summarize the main plots, and identify important themes. However, when she tries to write a simple essay about the main character, she cannot seem to organize her thoughts and struggles to write logical sentences on paper.
This student has a very high reading comprehension rate, but when it comes time to write down her thoughts, her hand simply will not listen to her brain. This is a common sign of a learning disorder in writing, often times diagnosed as dysgraphia.
Many students who are diagnosed with specific learning disorders or other learning disabilities are smart, hard-working students. Their brains are just wired differently, so it adds an extra hurdle to accomplishing a task. Remember, a learning disorder or disability may be present when there is a significant difference between your student’s ability and his or her actual performance.
When wondering whether your student is struggling with a learning disorder or learning disability, consider the following:
Does it take a long time to get through assigned reading?
Is it difficult to begin writing an essay?
Do you see consistently low grades in math?
Does your student have a hard time following steps/directions?
Are your student’s notes incomplete or scattered?
Does your child tell you they do not like school?
Are your child’s grades not reflective of their effort?
If the answer to any of these questions is “yes”, then your student may be struggling with a learning disorder or learning disability. If this is the case, you should consider a comprehensive evaluation to identify the source of his or her challenges.
Learning disorders and learning disabilities are by no means an impossible obstacle to overcome. Appropriate study strategies accompanied by academic accommodations can level the playing field for students experiencing any of these underlying conditions.