Is it LD?
Question: My four-year-old just started school. His teacher said that he is having problems learning words and sounds and recognizing letters. He is also having problems writing his name. His counting, recognition of colors and shapes, and the ability to socialize are fine. Is there a chance he could have a learning disability?
Answer: Some of the problems your son is having could in fact be early signs of a learning disability. Family Education Network offers an excellent interactive screening tool that you can take with your child on-line called "Get Ready to Read." There is also information about what you can do to support your child in learning at this age.
You can find out more about learning disabilities and the early warning signs on Family Education. You can also send for free information about learning disabilities or download it from your computer by going to the website of the Coordinated Campaign for Learning Disabilities at http://www.aboutld.org.
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For more than 20 years, Eileen Marzola has worked with children and adults with learning disabilities and attention deficit disorders, and with their parents and teachers. She has been a regular education classroom teacher, a consultant teacher/resource teacher, an educational evaluator/diagnostician, and has also taught graduate students at the university level. Marzola is an adjunct assistant professor of education at Teachers College, Columbia University, and Hunter College of the City University of New York. She also maintains a private practice in the evaluation and teaching of children with learning disabilities and attention deficit disorders.
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