Suppose your child is having challenges with school, and you are concerned that they may have a learning disability. In that case, it is important to identify the exact disability as early as possible. With early intervention from a psychologist near you, the disability can be understood, and strategies can be implemented to help your child thrive in a learning environment. Children who struggle to keep up with their peers can develop lowered confidence, making their original learning problem more difficult.
At Prevail Psychology, we understand the importance of helping children understand how they are gifted. Your child can navigate learning difficulties and ensure academic success with the right tools.
What Are Learning Disabilities?
The term “learning disability” covers many problems that cause a child to struggle with learning. Depending on the type of disability, the effect on the child’s ability to learn can be mild or severe.
Some learning disabilities affect how a child interprets letters in the alphabet or their sequence in a word, leading to challenges in spelling and reading. Other learning disabilities may lead to trouble putting thoughts into words through printing and writing.
Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are prone to impulsive behaviour and short attention spans, reducing their ability to thrive in a classroom setting.
Recognizing Learning Disabilities
Our therapist in Calgary wants everyone to note that every child develops at a different rate, and some may be temporarily behind their classmates in some areas. However, if a child has a learning disability, they will likely exhibit some of the following traits:
- Unable to properly grasp concepts such as number problems, reading, or writing
- Show weakness with fine motor skills, resulting in challenges with cutting, colouring, and printing
- Consistently behind the development of their classmates by one to two years
How Professional Assessments Can Help
If your child’s teacher lets you know that they believe your child may have a learning disability, they can help you arrange a psycho-educational assessment near you. These are in-depth assessments provided by psychologists in Calgary. From this assessment, you will be given information about the type and severity of the learning disability that your child is dealing with and the services available in your area to help them cope with this disability and succeed academically. Some of these services may include:
- Assistance for your child in their current classroom setting- either through teacher-modified instructions or additional support
- Placement in a special education classroom within the school, where the child will work with peers that are similarly challenged
- Placement in another school that builds its curriculum around children with learning disabilities
Above all, consistent communication between the child, parent, and teachers is essential to help children thrive in the classroom.
Visit Prevail Psychology
Setting your child up for a lifetime of academic success is important. If you want to learn more about how a psycho-educational assessment in Calgary can help your child, please do not hesitate to contact our Prevail Psychology team. We are happy to work with you and your child to ensure they have a successful academic career and feel confident in their learning abilities. Please get in touch with us to book a consultation today.