We should never assume that many kids aren’t doing well in school because they’re lazy and don’t want to apply themselves. Some kids don’t practice self-discipline in their studies, and it’s up to the parents to establish structure and discipline so that their kids will succeed. On the other hand, we don’t always talk about kids who struggle in school because of undiagnosed learning disabilities.
When kids have undiagnosed learning disabilities, it erodes their confidence at school. They struggle to understand what the teachers discuss in their classes, and they sometimes perform poorly on tests. The parents assume that their kids aren’t trying hard enough and scold them for their perceived laziness. The kids eventually give up on their academics, and it creates problems for them socially and in other aspects of life. For these kids, it isn’t until they reach adulthood that they realize they have a learning disability.
General Signs of Learning Disabilities in Children
We’ll explore the signs of specific learning disabilities later in the article, but at this point, I want to discuss the general signs of learning disabilities. Your child may struggle to understand and follow simple instructions and multistep directions. Some children with learning disabilities may struggle with math concepts, reading, and writing. Other possible red flags are:
- Lack of solid vocabulary and spelling skills
- Trouble with rhyming words
- Not understanding the connection between letters and sounds
- Confusion about arithmetic signs and operations
- Working memory issues
- Struggles with fine motor skills, such as pencil grasp or handwriting
- Trouble distinguishing left from right
- Inattention during classwork, exams, and homework
If your child reads slowly often, it could be a sign of a learning disability. Or if he reads at a good pace, he may struggle with certain reading concepts such as similes, metaphors, main ideas of texts, context clues, and inferences that give answers to questions about a text.
If you see these problems frequently in your child, don’t be afraid to seek an evaluation for him. Your child’s learning disability is not your fault or his. Read as much as you can about learning disabilities and ask your pediatrician questions for clarity about the issue. Reassure your child and tell him that a learning disability doesn’t make him dumb. It just means that he learns things differently, but he is capable of success.
Another thing to consider is the link between vision problems and learning difficulties. The key vision skills needed for academic progress include eye tracking, eye focusing, visual memory, visual thinking, and fine visual-motor skills. For example, visual memory is the skill of remembering words or images that were seen previously. An eye exam can help you figure out if your child’s vision problems are affecting his learning.
Now I’ll discuss various types of learning disabilities that some children may have.
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a learning disorder that mainly affects a child’s reading and writing skills. It’s also a disorder that influences how someone processes language, and this is seen in kids who struggle with recognizing and using the sounds of spoken language. Kids with dyslexia have problems with sounding out words, spelling, and reading fluency. They may also mispronounce words frequently and confuse letters that look similar. Others with dyslexia may not always understand longer texts and may get frustrated and discouraged when reading or writing.
There are several tests your child may take to determine if he has dyslexia. The Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals assesses your child’s oral language skills, while the Comprehensive Assessment of Spoken Language tests your child’s understanding of figurative language and abstract reasoning. Other assessments are:
- Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing (evaluates his reading and spelling abilities)
- Oral Reading Test
- Silent Reading Test
- Test of Auditory Processing Skills
- Test of Early Written Language
Once your child receives his diagnosis, you can speak to his psychologist about the next steps to take. You should also speak with your child’s teacher and school administrators about getting accommodations for your child to help him learn efficiently. Look for educational materials tailored to kids with dyslexia that are related to what they’re learning in school. Encourage your child daily and support his progress.
Dysgraphia
Dysgraphia is when a child struggles to turn their thoughts into writing. Poor handwriting is one sign of dysgraphia, but there are more. Kids with dysgraphia also struggle with:
- Letter formation and legible writing
- Letter spacing and sizing
- Spelling
- Frustration with long and complex writing assignments
- Fine motor skills
- Writing sentences in straight lines
- Forgetting when to use lowercase and uppercase letters
- Incorrect use of the parts of speech
The method of evaluation is similar to that which is used for dyslexia. A team of specialists may evaluate your child, and it includes occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech therapists. After your child’s diagnosis, you can obtain modifications for him at his school. If necessary, ask about getting an IEP plan for your child. This will help him excel in spite of his condition.
Dyscalculia
Dyscalculia is a condition where a child struggles to understand and complete math problems. Some symptoms of dyscalculia are:
- Struggles to connect numbers with quantity or size
- Not counting accurately most of the time
- Trouble with doing basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, as well as complex problems
- Struggles with telling time and counting money accurately
- Math anxiety and frustration with math in general
Emotional Effects of Undiagnosed Learning Disabilities
People with undiagnosed learning disabilities often endure frustration, low self-esteem, discouragement, and sometimes depression. We often think they’re not working hard enough, but the truth is that they’re doing the best they can with the difficulties they have. Teachers who lack an understanding of learning disabilities may give out bad grades to these students or label them “daydreamers” or “disruptive.” Parents don’t always know why their kids aren’t learning like they should, so they apply harsh discipline or belittle their kids out of anger.
People with undiagnosed learning disabilities use different coping strategies to help them deal with their struggles. They may embrace a perfectionist attitude and overwork themselves to hide their disabilities from loved ones. Other people might turn to alcohol, drugs, or sexual relationships to boost their confidence on the inside.
Conclusion
Imagine navigating a world where the instructions are always slightly out of sync with how your brain processes information, or where reading feels like deciphering an alien language. That’s often the reality for someone with an undiagnosed learning disability. They might be incredibly bright in many areas, but specific tasks, like organizing thoughts for an essay or remembering a sequence of instructions, become huge hurdles. If you or your child believes he could have a learning disability, seek help as soon as possible. Intervention can help you thrive, and your confidence will improve overall.