This article in the Ney York Times gives some excellent advice for parents who suspect their child may have a learning disability. The author outlines steps from dealing with the school, documenting supporting evidence and when or whether an evaluator might be helpful.
Patient Money – How to Navigate the Learning Disabilities System – NYTimes.com.
Parents often ask me whether their young child has a speech delay. More often these days I get referrals from local preschools for children in danger of being removed from programs due to behavior problems. Many times, these young ones have an undiagnosed speech delay. Speech delays in young children are not uncommon and free help (imagine!) is available through the public school system even for the preschool aged child.
This information sheet from the American Speech Language Hearing Association gives the developmental milestones for speech from ages 1-5 as well as ways parents and caregivers can help children build language skills.
How Does Your Child Hear and Talk?.
Here are a few book resources, which link to Amazon.
If you have consulted with your child’s pediatrician, teacher or therapist and have determined that you want to have your child assessed through his or her school for a learning disability, you consider the the options below. Please note that the decision to have your child assessed through the school system is a personal decision, and there are some benefits, and some drawback depending on the area in which you live, the services that are being sought, the concerns you have, and the financial resources available. The issue of “labeling” also may be of benefit or detriment, and should be considered before pursuing an assessment through public schools.
If you have already decided to pursue an assessment through the public school system for learning, speech or emotional disorders and desire appropriate interventions through the school:
1. Put your specific request in writing. If you are requesting an assessment for learning disabilities, or speech assessment, occupational therapy assessment, or an assessment for severe emotional disturbance, you need to state that in your request. It may be of benefit to determine what specific wording is required in your state and school district to ensure you are getting what is required. Your written request will be legal documentation and schools must respond within a specified time to your request. If your pediatrician, therapist, or teacher has a rationale for the assessment, get that in writing also so that you have it in hand should it be requested.
2. If your child is in private school, be aware that public school assessments are available for all children. However, the purpose of the assessment is to design an intervention within the public school system. If you have no intention of sending your child to public school, you may have some difficulty getting an assessment through the public school. If you are being told by your private school that your child may have a learning disability and may need services that the school cannot provide, have your private school contact the public school or provide you a letter as to their concerns, and you will be able to get the assessment.
3. Do your research about the process of assessment and the development of an IEP (Individualized Education Plan). The following websites may be helpful in doing research:
There are some additional books and some of the technological aids available to those with processing disorders below:
I talk to many parents struggling with their child over homework. They have to sit with them for hours – often until way past their bedtime- to complete assignments, with no time left over to unwind or play. Many times, these kids are in the second or third grade.
Occasionally, children do have learning disorders or other situations which are interfering with school performance. However, academic demands are increasing and a child’s own learning style develops at its own pace.
Children are also too young to work an 8 hour day- spending 6 hours at school with demands of structure and attention, and then to spend more than and hour and a half on homework in the younger grades is too demanding for most kids. Children who are quick to learn in a group setting may get their homework done quickly. Children who learn kinesthetically, who may not be able to start their homework until later, or who just take a little longer may struggle more to get their work done in as short a time, and find themselves fatigued.
This can start a cycle where a heavy work load leads to a tired child leads to child needs more one on one help for each problem, has more difficulty understanding simple concepts leads to frustrated parents. Parents know that the child “can do the work” but the more fatigued the child is, the more ‘lazy’ it looks, and the more of a power struggle takes place, the more both parent and child hate homework.
If this is happening at your house, you might try:
1. Talk to the teacher. Ask him/her how much work the child should have and explain the situation and get her recommendation on how to make a manageable workload. She may prioritize the subjects according to your child’s strengths. If Susie is getting the spelling words right on the first day of practice, and struggling in math, then modifications may be made. The teacher may have ideas about before or after school help that could be utilized. Or, she may be hearing similar complaints from other parents and reduce the workload all around, which has happened on several occasions.
2. If you are working with your child at homework, set limits on when “tutoring shop” is open – if Johnny is home at 3:30, and it works best to do homework from 4-5:30, then you are available to help from 4-5:30, books closed after dinner. Work out with his teacher what happens if his homework is not done. Spend time with your child talking/reading, play a quick game with her every day, regardless, but- if they choose not to do their homework- perhaps screen time/electronics/TV is not a need, and they will not be enjoying it.
3. Avoid looking at computer grade monitoring daily unless your child has a diagnosed learning disability and requires it to organize their life. Computer monitoring is great- if used appropriately. It can also make kids feel like they live under a microscope. I have seen high schoolers whose parents check grades and question them daily, and I wonder how they will do in college when parents have no access to grades and their first grades are a midterm.
4. If your child is still struggling with homework, consider talking to their teacher and/or your pediatrician about whether an assessment for learning disabilities- available through the public school system at no cost- would be appropriate.