A learning disability affects the coordination and function of the brain to receive and process information. People with learning disabilities tend to have trouble comprehending basic skills such as reading, writing, speaking and understanding directions. They may see, hear or understand things differently in comparison to other people making it difficult to stay focused in class or study for a test. Some parents tend to ignore these problems in children until they start reflecting in their test performance or school reports from their teachers.

 

 

 

Learning disabilities do not just fade away but rather, they may grow more problematic if nothing is done to handle the problem in time. With the passage of time, a child with learning disabilities may become more frustrated because they lack confidence in everything, no matter how hard they try. However, if a learning disability is recognized and accepted at an early stage, you can take the necessary steps needed to provide the child with life skills needed for a successful life, as they advance through adulthood. This article investigates the importance of early and correct diagnosis of learning disabilities.

 

 

Recognizing the Signs of Learning Disabilities

While learning disabilities may be recognized at all ages, it is always important to carry out a correct diagnosis as soon as possible to prevent the situation from worsening further. Parents need to be aware of developmental milestones in their children such as talking or walking. Understanding the early signs of learning disabilities can help you have a correct diagnosis in children of different ages. Some of the signs include difficulties pronouncing or sounding out words.

Few Signs and Symptoms during Early years

It is important to identify learning disabilities during early years. Parents must watch out for signs that may indicate children at risk of having learning disabilities.       

• Delay in speech milestones
• Lack of interest in rhymes
• Difficulty in learning letter names
• Difficulty in associating letters to their sounds
• Difficulty in memorizing number sequence
• Difficulty in counting
• Issues with coordination
• Left and right confusion
• Confusion between letters and numbers (e.g. b and d, u and n, 6 and 9)

If a kid has problems learning the meaning of new words, they will find it difficult to follow instructions or respond to questions. As time passes by, they develop a difficulty explaining what they want and may become frustrated or angered easily because no one seems to understand what they are going through.

 

Common learning disabilities in children include:

Dysphasia - Difficulty with language

Dyslexia - Difficulty in reading

Dysgraphia – Difficulty in writing

Visual Processing Disorder – Difficulty interpreting visual information

Dyscalculia – Difficulty in Math

Auditory Processing Disorder – Difficulty hearing differences between sounds

Dyspraxia (sensory integration disorder) – Difficulty with fine motor skills

Nonverbal Learning Disabilities - Nonverbal learning disabilities can be tricky to recognize and diagnose. Children with this disorder are unable to recognize and translate nonverbal cues, such as tone of voice and expressions.

What is the Importance of Early and Correct Diagnosis of Learning Disabilities?

Improved Outcomes

Early detection of learning disabilities in a child can help specialists come up with methods to improve communication and behaviour management techniques that will help them associate better with other children. As a result, it improves a child’s ability to reach his or her academic potential when they are included in regular education classrooms.

Prevents the Development of Low Self-Esteem

Children with learning disabilities may feel isolated or unwanted by other kids, probably because they are not performing well in class or cannot understand basic skills such as reading, writing and speaking. Most of the time they tend to have no friends since no one understands their situation. Early diagnosis of learning disability in a child prevents them from developing low self-esteem. It does so by boosting their self-confidence in solving basic problems and improving their communication skills to socialize well with other children.

Prevention of Secondary Symptoms

Individuals with learning disabilities usually develop aggression, isolation, tantrums, and even self-injury. Although these behaviours may not be considered in the diagnostic criteria for children with learning disabilities, they are secondary symptoms that develop due to failure of addressing the primary symptoms. Most of these disruptive behaviours often have a communicative function. Early intervention helps to avoid, reduce or eliminate these secondary symptoms when it is focused on educating them on functionally equivalent replacement behaviours.

Reduces Stress in Parents

 Parents are always the first people to notice a developmental problem in their children. However, there is coinciding stress in parents who have a child with a learning disability.

As a mental health professional, we can vouch that aware and sensitive teacher, tactfully handled parents, right measures and realistic expectations have taken so many of my clients dealing their life and careers with grit and excellence.  And that’s the big reason that why the term, “Learning Disabilities” is replaced by “Learning Differently”. The big difference comes when the teaching strategies and tricks are made different and unique to suit the individual’s wiring system.

Contact Indira Mind Healing Centre (7044115338) where you find Best Psychologist in Kolkata who help you in dealing with these issues.