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Does My Child Have a Learning Disability?

Back to school. For many parents having kids back in school can be a much anticipated break. For others, September means ramping up our participation as we revisit their academic struggles and introduce their challenges to a new round of educators. Rather than a parental recess, we’ll be going back-to-bat, asking hard questions and making sure they get what they need to succeed. Whether they have been formally diagnosed with a learning disability, or a parent is aware of academic challenges as the semester rolls out, navigating the maze of learning challenges is full of myths and twists. If you are wondering if your child has a learning disability here are five things every parent of a child struggling in school should know.

Does My Child Have a Learning Disability?

Back to school. For many parents having kids back in school can be a much anticipated break. For others, September means ramping up our participation as we revisit their academic struggles and introduce their challenges to a new round of educators. Rather than a parental recess, we’ll be going back-to-bat, asking hard questions and making sure they get what they need to succeed. Whether they have been formally diagnosed with a learning disability, or a parent is aware of academic challenges as the semester rolls out, navigating the maze of learning challenges is full of myths and twists. If you are wondering if your child has a learning disability here are five things every parent of a child struggling in school should know.

1. Intervening early is very important. I had a friend who had a child that was struggling in school and her speech. On our morning walk as she was sharing her concerns, I asked if she was going to get her child tested. She hesitated and said no, she was hoping her daughter would grow out of it. Sometimes the fear that something is wrong with the most precious thing in our lives, our child, can be scary and overwhelming. There can be a fear of stigma, labeling, or worrying the child will get the message something is wrong with them. It is always better to intervene early. Knowledge is power. With knowledge you can evaluate interventions and decide the best route for your child and your family.

2.  Most learning disabilities persist and worsen if not treated. A child that is struggling academically seems to get worse as they grow with their peers. The actual neurophysiology of a child’s brain does not worsen, it’s the learning curve and difference between them and their peers tend to grow over time, making it seem like the LD is worse. Once again, intervene early.

3. If your child reverses letters this does not mean there is a learning disability. In fact, this is a normal occurrence for seven to eight year olds. For older kids this can point to an issue in the perceptual system of the right hemisphere of the brain, which is NOT dyslexia.

4. Learning Disabilities can occur by themselves or can be co-morbid with another disorder. Sometimes, parents will have confusion about how their child that struggles with one disorder, such as dyslexia, looks so different than their friend’s child that also has symptoms of ADHD. Learning disorders can occur alone, with other disorders and can be on a spectrum of severity. How a learning disorder looks in your child can look very different in your friend’s child in what they struggle with and the severity of the disorder.  Also, we can see the same behavior in different children for different reasons.

5. Interventions historically have included resource rooms in schools, reading programs and tutoring. What many people don’t know is neurofeedback training can help. Significantly. Research shows neurofeedback training changes the neurophysiology of the brain helping to develop the pathways for reading, mathematics, auditory and visual processing, spelling, and writing.

To learn more, come to one of our free talks on Learning Disabilities and neurofeedback in the Vail Valley. You can also visit amazingbrains.com for more information on neurofeedback and LD’s.

September 30, 2014, 6:00 PM at United Methodist Church, 333 2nd Street, Eagle, CO 81631

October 2, 2014, 6:00 PM at Allegory Studios, 82 E. Beaver Creek Blvd., Ste 202, Avon, CO 81620 (above Pazzao’s Pizza)

Please RSVP to 970-343-2709