Learning Disabilities and the Elementary Years

by Bethann McGaffigan

"When my son started kindergarten I noticed that he had problems with coordination when performing simple tasks such as tying his shoes or combing his hair," says Carol McGaffigan. "We worked consistently with him for many years. The hard work paid off with some terrific dividends. Our son developed a photographic memory that amazed his teachers." Coordination problems can be a warning sign of a learning disability. If your child exhibits several of the following characteristics over a long period of time, you might want to have her tested.

• Unstable pencil grip
• Trouble learning about time
• Difficulty remembering facts
• Confuses basic words (dog, cat, run)
• Difficulty learning new skills, relying on memorization
• Poor coordination, "accident prone", unaware of physical surroundings
• Difficulty learning the connection between letters and sounds
• Spelling and reading errors such as substitutions (house/home), letter reversals (b/d), inversions (m/w) and transpositions (felt/left).
• Problems with planning, impulsive
• Transposes number sequences and confuses arithmetic signs (x,/,=/+/-)

Speak with your child's teacher and arrange for a comprehensive evaluation of your child's difficulties. This will enable you and a group of professionals to correctly assess areas of strengths and weaknesses, and thus decide upon the best course of action to help your child. Offering constant support to your child is your best strategy.

More on: Identifying Learning Disabilities