Learning Disabilities and Your Child: An Age-by-Age Guide

The Middle Years

"When a child is dealing with the difficulties of a learning disability and has not been diagnosed, he or she may feel dumb or worthless," says Dr. Matthew Brewer, pediatrician. "This frustration can lead the child to destructive behaviors such as violence or drug abuse." Students with LD must be reassured that they are bright people who are only having problems because their minds process information differently. If you notice any of the following characteristics in your middle school student talk to your child and contact a professional as soon as possible.

• Trouble recalling facts
• Problems making friends
• Difficulty with word problems
• Avoids reading aloud
• Reverses letter sequences (soiled/solid, left/felt)
• Tight or awkward pencil grip
• Difficulty understanding facial expressions or body language
• Problems with handwriting
• Problems with learning prefixes, suffixes, root words and other spelling strategies
• Avoids writing assignments

Before you can solve your child's problems you need to know what you are dealing with. Contact your school and arrange for a complete evaluation. You will be referred to professionals who specialize in your child's area of difficulty. Working with professionals and offering constant support is your best strategy to help your child.

The High School Years

"When a student reaches the high school level with an undiagnosed learning disability, their self esteem is very low," says Dr. Matthew Brewer, pediatrician. "The student is usually failing classes, does not want to cooperate, and creates a challenging situation for everyone involved." Learning disabilities and the frustrations that accompany them are a major reason that kids drop out of high school. Solid support from parents and professionals is vital to a student reaching his or her full potential. If your child displays any of the following signs repeatedly speak with a school professional at once.

• Problems adjusting to new settings
• Poor memory skills
• Problems with open-ended questions on tests
• Avoids reading and writing assignments
• Difficulty summarizing
• Spelling problems, such as spelling the same word differently in a single composition
Misreads information
• Poor grasp of abstract concepts
• Either pays too little or too much attention to details
• Works slowly

Have your school do a full evaluation of your child. Once the problems are identified and understood, then accommodations can be put in place to help your child learn.