Information For Parents Of Children With Learning Disabilities

Some Specific Learning Disabilities You Should Know About

Specific learning disabilities should receive specialized treatment in order to maximize the chances for success, as this article explains ...

Learning disabilities are often insidious. Masked behind various other symptoms, learning disabilities may be undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for many years.

Often a learning disability is first recognized in nebulous terms after other diagnoses have been ruled out. Once this occurs it is important to receive a learning disability test in order to determine the exact nature of the learning disability. Specific learning disabilities should receive specialized treatment in order to maximize the chances for success.

Perhaps the most well known of the specific learning disabilities is dyslexia. Learning disabled children with dyslexia struggle with the written word. Dyslexia affects the portion of the brain that deals with letter recognition and order.

When writing, learning disabled children with dyslexia may reverse the order of letters or even write the individual letter backwards. This is the most commonly recognized symptom of dyslexia. However, students with dyslexia also have trouble learning to read, as their brains have trouble processing the letters within each word.

Dyslexia is now usually caught in childhood, but many adults have slipped through the cracks and never been properly diagnosed. A learning disability test is appropriate for adults who feel that they may suffer from dyslexia or any other learning disabilities.

Coping strategies for dyslexia are numerous. Learning disabled children with dyslexia can be taught to read using a combination of positive reinforcement techniques, "word attack" in which difficult words are visually broken into syllables, "backtracking" in which one line at a time is read repeatedly until correct, visualization, and many other strategies. If your child's specific learning disabilities include dyslexia, take the time to educate yourself about the condition. Dyslexia is a common learning disability and much is known about its treatment.

Another of the specific learning disabilities is dysgraphia. This learning disability involves a difficulty with writing. Students with dysgraphia have specific problems with fine motor control, including handwriting. They may struggle to produce legible writing. Dysgraphia may initially be misdiagnosed as dyslexia since the two conditions share similar symptoms in writing. A learning disability test will be able to differentiate the two conditions.

Coping strategies for dysgraphia involve teaching the child the fine motor skills required for handwriting. Writing readiness activities must be practiced, from coloring to gripping a pencil. An excellent handwriting model should be provided and practice sessions should be made fun. With effort and support, children with dysgraphia can learn to write reasonably well.

Dyscalculia involves math abilities rather than verbal functioning. The term is a catchall for any learning disability that involves math. This makes both diagnosis and treatment quite complicated. Dyscalculia may appear concurrently with a language-based learning disability and treating the underlying learning disability may help the dyscalculia as well. A learning disability test may be of some help in determining exactly what the disability is.

Other specific learning disabilities include Non-verbal Learning Disorder and Asperger's Syndrome. Both require highly specialized treatment and care, and the services of a professional are highly recommended.

Specific learning disabilities are usually diagnosed through a fairly simple learning disability test. Depending on the severity, specific learning disabilities can usually be treated through the combined efforts of the parents and the classroom teacher. Although learning disabilities cannot be cured, management techniques can lead to successful adult lives. It is important to understand the specific learning disabilities that are involved in order to maximize the child's chances of success.

Next article: What Parents And Teachers Should Know About Children With Learning Disabilities

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