Excitement is in the air as the kids head back to school. Children are eager to see their friends, meet their teachers, and proudly write that “What I did this summer” paper. A father in a recent TV commercial proclaims that, for parents, “its the most wonderful time of the year,” as he happily tosses crayons into his cart at an office supply store.
But for the millions of children with learning disabilities, things aren’t so wonderful.
Learning disabilities affect as much as 10% of children and adults. They cause frustration and often a dread of school for the learning disabled student who tries and tries, only to fail. Learning disabilities confuse parents and teachers as well. These problems may lead adults to think these children are defiant, lazy, apathetic, or manipulative.
Research shows that up to half of those with learning disabilities go undiagnosed. When undiagnosed, the embarrassment, self-doubt, pressure and social stigma a child experiences can lead to more than academic difficulties. Learning disabled students may also develop self-esteem, emotional, and social problems. Many will give up the struggle -- in fact, the drop out rate for children with learning disorders is nearly 40%.
Learning disabilities need not cause such suffering. The key is for parents to be aware of the facts – that diagnosing, understanding, and greatly alleviating the effects of this problem are all possible. In my practice, I have been surprised to find a large percentage of people who are unaware of these facts. Part of the challenge of overcoming a learning disability is in countering the misinformation that abounds about this very common problem.
The most common, and perhaps most hurtful, misunderstanding is that “learning disability” is a euphemism for “low IQ”. This misconception can probably best be dispelled by an explanation of how professionals diagnose a learning disability.
An individual is said to have a learning disability when his or her achievement in one or more areas is significantly lower than that which would be expected given his or her intellectual level. Simply put, IQ is compared with academic achievement and the student’s progress in school. When a student is having serious problems performing up to his or her potential, a learning disability is suspected.
I use the word “suspect” because at this point a learning disability is not certain. For example, if a child has not had adequate opportunity to learn, by missing a great deal of school due to a medical illness for example, an LD diagnosis would not be likely. Emotional problems can also be a cause of academic difficulties. Depression, fears and phobias, and difficulties adjusting to a stressor such as divorce may all hinder a child’s ability to give his or her best to schoolwork.
However, if a child has had adequate instruction, no major emotional barriers, and still is not progressing up to his or her intellectual potential, a learning disability is diagnosed. Learning disabilities are specific – Reading, Mathematics, and Expressive Language (Writing) Disorders are the main three ways this problem evidences itself.
Another key misunderstanding about learning disorders is that children are automatically tested for them in school. Most students are given standardized academic progress tests yearly, which are administered in a group format. However, these tests only compare how students are doing relative to national averages, not relative to their own potential. Learning disability diagnosis requires individualized testing.
A third key misunderstanding is that little can be done about learning disabilities. Many parents resist testing, because of fear of labeling or deliberately leaving a child behind academically. Learning disabilities are treatable. Once a problem is identified, parents, school personnel and the diagnosing psychologist can collaborate on a strategy for remediation. This strategy, termed an Individualized Education Plan or IEP, forms the basis for helping the student learn in a way that is effective for them. Prognosis is generally good, particularly for disabilities that are identified early.
Learning is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. Students with learning disabilities often just need individual help, or information presented in different ways. With such help and support, children with learning disabilities can begin to progress and even to look forward to the start of school again.
By Jeanne Latiolais, PsyD
Learning Disabilities: There's Much to Learn
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