Learning disorders are varied and some can cause some big problems for kids. LD may make it harder to: read, write, spell, or do mathematics. Did you know that learning disorders can make it hard for your child to socialize and make friends, to concentrate, it can affect your memory or your ability to understand and use language? My daughter struggles with an auditory language disorder. This affects how she processes what she hears and her with writing. She went through extensive Speech/Language therapy and was given strategies that are helping her be the successful student she is in high school today. The majority of kids today who have school problems, have multiple learning disorders. My advice to those of you facing the challenging task of trying to identify what is keeping your child from doing his/her best in school, is to research online, listen to your child's teacher - what is she seeing in the classroom? Pay attention to what you are "seeing" at home...with homework, socializing, etc, and seek professional help. I will post a list of great professionals/institutions this week that you may help you in your "journey". Learning disorders can manifest themselves in different ways; for example, we thought for the longest time that our daughter had ADD, well, after researching online and having testing through Scottish Rite Hospital, we learned that children with an Auditory Language Processing Disorder can seem ADD. This is because sitting and listening is difficult for these children. Their processing speed is slower and they fall behind quickly during lectures and whole group instruction. Getting distracted by pencils in their desk, something outside the classroom window or even the hum of the air conditioner can be very inviting for this kind of student.
Well, I said in my last post that I would quote Dr. Mel Livine from his book, "
Keeping A Head in School", so here is an informative & encouraging passage:
The Positive and Negative Sides of Learning Disorders
A learning disorder is not a disease. When you have a disease or an illness, it usually has a definite cause. The disease is abnormal, and we hope it can be cured. A disease is like chicken pox has no good parts to it. but learning disorders are not completely bad for you. In fact, sometimes, having learning disorders can help you develop your strengths. For example, dealing with learning disorders can teach you how to bounce back from feeling low, how to solve problems, how to come from behind and end up a winner. Some students who have nothing but success all through school never really learn how to deal with problems. Such students may not be ready for the real world when they grow up and have problems at work or at home. So, there really is a bright side to learning disorders! Unfortunately, though, certain learning disorders can make school very rough for you at a time when you'd like to be admired and in a place where you should be feeling successful. Also, if you can't learn and work very well in school, you may have a hard time becoming the kind of adult that you would like to become. So, if school is a problem for you because you have learning disorders, you need to understand them and try of overcome them so they won't stop you from having success when you grow up.
-Dr. Mel Levine (Keeping A Head in School)
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