Text: Xanet van Vuuren. Article from the February 2015 issue of Living and Loving Magazine.
Although a learning difficulty can only be diagnosed when your child is around six years old, there are indicators that will alert you early on that your child may be at risk. Look out for these signs.
A learning difficulty or disability is usually not diagnosed until a child is around six years old, but parents can starts picking up on indicators that suggest their child may be at risk for a reading or literacy difficulty quite early on,” says Kalie Naidoo, clinical psychologist and Head of the Education Resource Centre at Bellavista School in Johannesburg.
The difference between a learning difficulty and a learning disability
A learning difficulty and a learning disability are two different problems entirely, and shouldn’t be classified as the same thing. “Children with learning disabilities usually have to attend a special needs school, and are often more severely intellectually handicapped, and/or have other conditions like speech and language difficulties, cerebral palsy, and so on,” explains Kalie.
“Children with specific learning difficulties, on the other hand, are usually able to attend mainstream schools, unless they need remedial help, in which case they’ll need to attend a remedial school,” she explains.
Children who have specific learning difficulties often include those who are diagnosed with one or more of the disorders on the Autistic Spectrum, those who have speech and language impairments, children who are dyslexic, children with mild visual loss or hearing problems, or children who have mild cerebral palsy.
Causes of learning difficulties
Specific learning difficulties are often genetic, but an accident, traumatic brain injury or epilepsy that was left untreated can also cause a learning difficulty. “If you have a history of specific learning difficulties in either parent’s family, for example, Attention Deficit Disorder, Dyslexia or any of the Autistic Spectrum Disorders, be on the alert and keep an eye out for signs that may indicate a learning difficulty,” says Kalie.
Other factors that play a role
You also need to consider the language in which your child is being taught in. “Some languages are more difficult for children to learn to read and write,” says Kalie. “Afrikaans is a much easier language to learn to read and write in, because how the word sounds and the way you spell it corresponds closely, whereas in English, this is not always the case.”
Consider your child’s home language as well. It would be easier for him to learn to read and write in the language that he was exposed to during the first four to five years of life.
Schooling also plays an important role. If a child had poor schooling and he’s lagging behind, you can’t simply diagnose him with a learning difficulty. However, if he has had good enough schooling and is still not performing, then you should look into it.
Red flags
The following signs may indicate that your child is at risk of having a learning and/or reading difficulty:
- If your child still hasn’t learned to speak by the time he’s between 18 months and two years old
- If your child enjoys being read to, but doesn’t like to look at books himself
- If your three- or four-year- old doesn’t enjoy rhymes, participating in rhyming activities, following rhymes, mimicking the actions, or remembering the rhymes
- Indicators that your child could be on the Autistic Spectrum: unusual behaviours in play or ideas, if he’s over- or under-sensitive to sound, sight, smells, light, texture, or if play is repetitive
- If he avoids drawing or colouring in and doesn’t seem to enjoy these
- He seems poorly coordinated or clumsy
- He avoids playing on the jungle gym
- He moves around and interrupts all the time, and can’t sit still or complete a task or activity.
“Remember that you can’t simply diagnose a child with a learning difficulty if he only displays one of these signs. However, seek help if you notice a few constant signs,” says Kalie. “Monitor early childhood developmental delays, but remember that not every little delay indicates a learning difficulty,” says Kalie. Some delays are appropriate at different ages.
“If your child has auditory processing difficulties, and speech and language difficulties, or if there’s a delay in his learning to speak, you should monitor his progress. Speech and language delays often lead to dyslexia,” adds Kalie.
Coping with a learning difficulty:
- Read to your child and encourage him to look at books, even if he can’t read yet.
- Talk to him, even if it’s just to draw his attention to things around him, or tell him stories about your past.
- Try not to lose patience when you help him with homework. If you have other kids to look after and other tasks, do fewer examples with him instead of rushing. “Children are sensitive to these things, and can pick up that they take longer than other kids,” says Kalie.
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