Michael J. Gerson, Ph.D., A.B.P.P.
As a child psychologist, I have seen first hand how concerned parents become when their child experiences difficulty in school. While there are several reasons why a child may be experiencing academic difficulties, this article will focus on some of the questions that parents ask when it is suggested that their child may have a learning disability.
1. What is a learning disability?
There are five major steps that a child must go through in order to learn effectively.
- The child must focus his/her attention on the information being presented.
- The child receives information by listening or reading (input).
- The child must then comprehend the information (processing phase).
- The child then stores the information, retrieving it when needed (memory).
- The child must then communicate the information by speech or writing (output).
A learning disability is an underlying cognitive processing weakness that can affect the way a child performs any of these steps. It can affect the way he/she receives, comprehends, or expresses information, and it usually impacts the child’s ability to learn the basics of reading, writing, or math.
2. What is involved in diagnosing a learning disability?
When a teacher or parent notices that a child is experiencing difficulty in the classroom, a thorough evaluation of the situation is in order. Such an evaluation should include an assessment of the child’s intellectual potential, his/her strengths and weaknesses, preferred learning style, and an assessment of achievement in such areas as reading, math, and writing. If a significant discrepancy between a child’s intellectual ability and academic achievement is present, it is usually safe to say that the child may have a learning disability.
 3. What kind of learning disabilities are there?
The vast majority (75 – 85 percent) of students identified as having a learning disability have difficulties in the areas of language and reading. A much smaller group (15 percent) of L.D. children are identified as having Nonverbal Learning Disabilities (NLD), characterized by problems in the areas of social competence, visual-spatial abilities, motor coordination, and emotional functioning. It is important to correctly identify the child’s specific area of weakness, as well as the child’s learning strengths so that the proper help can be provided.
4. How does a child develop a learning disability?
First of all, inadequate parenting/teaching does not cause learning disabilities! Most learning disabilities are genetic in origin, and only a very small percentage arise out of general medical conditions such as radiation treatment, lead poisoning or fetal alcohol affect. When a child is diagnosed as having a learning disability, it is not a surprise to learn that one of the parents had a similar difficulty when that parent was in school.
5. When are learning disabilities usually identified?
Although many children with learning disabilities are identified in early elementary school, some children are not identified until much later. For example, highly intelligent children can sometimes compensate for their disabilities until academic work becomes increasingly complex, and the reading and writing assignments become overwhelmingly difficult for an LD child. These “academic crisis points” usually occur in the 4th, 6th, and 9th grades, and it is in these grades that a surprisingly large number of children are identified as having problems of attention or learning.
6. Can a child “grow out of” a learning disability?
A learning disability is a lifetime disability, and the child or adolescent does not “outgrow” it. However, he/she can learn to bypass and compensate for the disability, perform extremely well in school, and achieve high level academic and career goals.
7. How can my child receive help?
After identifying the particular kind of learning disability, a school program that capitalizes on the child’s strengths, while remediating academic weaknesses must be established. Some children require the extra help that a resource room (a place in which a small group of students is given extra help by a teacher with an expertise in working with learning disabilities) can provide. All LD children need to have a teacher who is alert to the kind of problems the student has, and who receives coaching by the school’s Child Study Team on the way to best help that particular student learn. For example, the classroom teacher will learn how to help a child bypass the learning disability through appropriate accommodations.
8. What are accommodations?
Accommodations are techniques and methods that can be used to “level the playing field” for children with learning or attention difficulties. For example, a child with an expressive language deficit (difficulty expressing thoughts quickly and clearly) would not be called on in class unless he raises his hand; a child who has difficulty writing quickly would be given extended time for tests and written assignments. This child might also have trouble taking notes quickly, so assignments should be kept up on the board longer, or even handed out in printed form. The same would hold true for lectures. The teacher might note where the information could be found, or could provide written outlines of the lecture or discussion content. Some school systems place homework assignments on the internet, along with lecture notes and other information about the subject.
9. What programs are available for a child with a learning disability?
After a diagnosis has been made, Special Education services and academic accommodations can be provided through either Section 504, a part of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, or through Classification. (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; IDEA)
10. Classification vs. 504: What’s the Difference?
In brief, classified students (IDEA) have more severe disabilities than 504 students. IDEA has a formal evaluation process that results in a classification and an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP). 504 is not as formal; the school develops a 504 Plan which lists the accommodations that will be provided to the student. 504 is faster and more flexible, but it does not provide the intensive remedial help that some LD students require. That is why a 504 plan is only useful for the less severe disabilities.
Another important difference is that when a child is classified, the state provides the school district with funding for the child’s educational needs. 504 provides no financial support, even though it may require the school to undertake actions that require additional expenditures. This sometimes results in schools having little incentive to provide the accommodations that a 504 child may require.
11. What “treatments” are helpful for children with learning disabilities?
A child with a specific learning disability needs remediation and tutoring in their weak area from a teacher who is trained to work with learning disabled children. For example, a child with a reading disability should work with a reading specialist. Schools have learning specialists on staff, and they usually work with children in a resource room setting for a minimum of one period per day. Many children require additional tutoring.
 Parents can also help by becoming familiar with the various aspects of the child’s disability, monitoring the child’s academic progress, maintaining reasonable expectations, and being very supportive emotionally. A good start is for parents to familiarize themselves with websites that provide information regarding learning and attention. Some examples are shwablearning.org, and chadd.org.
Although it is a major concern to have a child with a learning disability, a reasoned approach starting with a proper evaluation and determination of the exact problem, a school program with correct accommodations and appropriate academic instruction, along with proper guidance, understanding and support for the child, can help the child learn effectively and maximize his/her intellectual potential.
Dr. Michael Gerson is a psychologist in Livingston, NJ. Much of his work with families involves issues of children’s learning and attention.
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