Does my child have a specific learning disorder?
When children start school in kindergarten, they are generally excited at the prospect of making new friends and learning to read and write. The charm of unaffected innocence. If only learning (and making friends) was as simple as it was expected.
Children progress at different rates of learning. However, in Australia it's likely that two to three children in each classroom will experience problems with learning. In kindergarten this can first show up as difficulty learning sight words and remembering CVC words (consonant, vowel, consonant).
Before you panic that little Albert isn't the Einstein in the making you were expecting, let's look at risk factors for learning disorders and how to identify if one is present.
Risk Factors for Learning Problems
Boys are at greater risk for learning disorders, for reasons still under research.
Prenatal or perinatal (at birth) complications may be associated with a later diagnosis of learning difficulty.
Preterm birth and low birth weight are associated with a higher risk of later learning and attention problems.
Genetic factor; family history of any type of learning or developmental disability.
Delay in developmental milestones; gross-motor such as sitting, crawling, walking.
Difficulty with sequences of fine-motor movements consistent with age, such as cutting with scissors, doing jigsaw puzzles, pencil grip and handwriting.
How to identify if a learning problem is present
A specific learning disorder can affect how children learn in a variety of ways including how they take in, remember, understand or express information. The first sign of a learning disorder may be noticed by observing delays in a child’s skill development around language, attention, and learning in the early years. For example, children may show difficulties in understanding and following directions, or may have a short attention span or memory problems.
Other signs that a child may be having difficulty learning may include:
Processing language such as remembering letter names and sounds (phonological processing) that are consistent with the child's age and level of previous teaching.
A failure to reach appropriate milestones in language development.
Unclear articulation and speech.
Resistance to listening to short interesting age appropriate stories.
Resistance and avoidance of learning to read.
A delay in their ability to remember and follow age-appropriate instructions (i.e., ‘Please go to your room and bring down the blue jumper.’)
Repeated difficulty coming up with familiar words (‘The uh, uh, you know, the thing.’)
Difficulty learning to tell the time.
Difficulty organising and planning
Signs of lower self-esteem associated with school and learning.
Diagnosis of a Specific Learning Disorder
The brain has critical years for different aspects of language acquisition and these circuits must be stimulated during a child's early years if they are to develop fully. With this in mind, if you suspect your child is experiencing difficulties in learning, a referral for a detailed assessment with an Educational and Developmental Psychologist using standardised psychological tests may be warranted.
These tests compare the child's level of ability and achievement to that which is considered normal development for their age group. Other possible causes of the difficulties being experienced, such as a sensory problem (e.g., visual or hearing impairment), emotional disturbance (e.g., depression), environmental factors (e.g., cultural or economic disadvantage or a lack of access to adequate education) and intellectual disability all need to be considered before making a diagnosis.
The diagnosis for a learning difficulty comes under the name of Specific Learning Disorder with one or more of the following categories; reading impairment (including Dyslexia), spelling impairment; impairment with written expression; and impairment in mathematics (Dyscalcula). Once a Specific Learning Disorder is diagnosed, psychologists may make a referral to other professionals, such as speech pathologists, occupational therapists, and paediatricians with a view to developing an appropriate treatment plan.
What if you suspect dyslexia?
Specific Learning Disorder with reading impairment that is considered to be dyslexia, is a highly heritable brain difference involving ten or more different genes which affect specific neural networks involving the processing of written language. However, even though reading disabilities are heritable, many studies show that the home environment is crucial. Healy (2010), in her book Different Learners, writes about one study which looks at over 262 adopted children and their adoptive parents and the degree to which their home environment encouraged reading skills and interest in reading. When the children were tested on their reading abilities they performed similarly to their adoptive parents.
Hence the importance of an enriched reading environment including; access to picture books; shared reading experiences such as reading daily to your child and listening to them read; listening to audio books; and playing with your child, all support the development of their phonological awareness, love of learning, curiosity and reading readiness.
If you think your child has a suspected learning difficulty, talk to their class teacher and an Educational and Developmental Psychologist who can make appropriate recommendations. If a diagnosis is warranted ensure the intervention targets phonological awareness and that strategies are individually designed for the child based on their specific area of weakness. And remember, it's never too early to read to your infant to develop those neural pathways for reading readiness.
Healy, J.M.Ph.D. (2010). Different Learners: Identifying, Preventing, and Treating Your Child's Learning Problems. New York. Simon & Schuster.