Who We Are News and Events Resources for Caregivers Additional Info Census Figures Eye on Health COAF's Ties that Bind Program Is your Grandchild Learning Disabled? How to Support Us			Additional Info - Learning Disabilities Learning Disabilities and Your Grandchild Submitted by Laura Summerhill, CSW, M.S. Ed, KeySpan Energy's On Track Program Consider the following: * Does your grandchild reverse letters when reading or writing words? * Can your grandchild understand advanced subjects but not complete a simple math problem? * Does he have difficulty holding a pencil or have very poor handwriting? * Is your grandchild easily distracted or very disorganized? * Does she have difficulty following directions? * Does your grandchild try hard with schoolwork but just doesn't seem to "get it"? * Is he or she struggling with schoolwork and exhibiting behavioral problems? If you can answer "yes" to one or more of these questions your grandchild may have a learning disability. What is a Learning Disability? A learning disability is a disorder that interferes with a person's ability to store, process, or produce information. Learning disabilities create at "gap" between one's ability and performance. These difficutlies can show up in many ways: a child may have specific trouble with spoken and written language, coordination, self-control, or attention. Such problems affect schoolwork and can make learning to readk, write, or do math very complicated. Yet, individuals with learning disabilities are generally of average or above average intelligence. Learning Disabilies can be broken into two groups: Developmental Speech and Language disorders or Academic Skills disorders. What are Developmental Speech and Language Disorders? People with developmental speech and language disorders have difficulty producing speech sounds, using spoken language to communicate, or understanding what other people say. Some of these disorders are outgrown or successfully treated with speech or language therapy. Speech and language problems are often the earliest indicators of a learning disability. What are Academic Skills Disorders? Students with academic skills disorders are often years behind their classmates in developing reading, writing, or arithmetic skills. The diagnoses in this category include:Dyslexia (a develoopmental reading disorder, Dyscalculia (a developmental math disorder), and Dysgraphia (a developmental writing disorder). What Causes a Learning Disability? No one knows for sure, but some scientists believe that learning disabilites are caused by "faulty wiring" in the cortex of the brain. The "faulty wiring" makes processing information problematic, leaving a child to struggle with reading, writing, speaking, and following directions. Which learning disability your grandchild may have will depend on the kind of processing problem he or she has. For example, if your grandchild has a difficulty holding a pencil or has very poor handwriting, he or she may have dysgraphia, meaning the actual process of writing requires so much time and energy that it interferes wiht learning the content. A child might spend a tremendous amount of time on a writing assignment, but not remember what they wrote afterwards. How Do I Know if my Grandchild has a Learning Disability? Certain "milestones" (a child's first word, their first step, etc.) are observed by both doctors and caregivers. A significant delay in reaching these milestones may indicate a problem. A two-year delay in school is significant and should require and evaluation. Use the checklist provided by the National Center for Learning Disabilites included with this article. How can I have my Grandchild checked for LD? Once a delay in skill development is observed, the actual diagnosis of a learning disability is made by using standardized tests. Ask the school to evaluate your grandchild. This comprehensive educational evaluation is free and will determine if your grandchild has a disability, as well as what kind of special help your grandchild needs in school. The evaluation of the outcome depends on the child's actual abilites, on the reliabilty of the test, and the child's ability to pay attention and understand the questions. It's not enough to talk about your grandchild's scores on tests. Explore the following: What do the scores mean? Is your grandchild doing as well as other children his or her age? What does your grandchild do well? Where is your grandchild having trouble? What is causing the trouble? If you don't understand something in your grandchild's evaluation results, be sure to speak up and aksk questions. Do the results make sense, considereing what you know about your grandchild? Share your special insights. Your knowledge o fyour grandchild is important and can help determine what special services he or she should receive. For More Information: Resources for Children with Special Needs, Inc. 116 E. 16th St., 5th Floor, New York, NY 10003, (212) 677-4650 Learning Disabilites Association of NYC 27 W. 20th St., New York, NY 10011, (212) 645-6730 The National Center for Learning Disabilites 381 Park Avenue South, #1420, NY, NY 10010, (212) 545-7510 Advocates for Children of New York 105 Court St., Brooklyn, NY 11201, (718) 624-8450 Also On The Web: A free, downloadable booklet from The Partnership for Reading, Washington, DC, offers parents "proven ideas from research" on helping kindergartners to third graders develop strong reading skills. The booklet, A Child Becomes a Reader, includes literacy-strengthening activities, helpful terms and available resources. To download the booklet go to: www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading/publications/k-e.html Use this checklist provided by the National Center for Learning Disabilities as a guide: Although most children and adults experience difficulties with learning and behavior from time to time, a consisten pattern of the behaviors (listed below), over time, should be considered an indication to seek further advice, information, or help when someone is not performing these tasks people their same age do. PRESCHOOL: Does the child have trouble with or delayed development in: * Learning the alphabet * Rhyming words * Connecting sound 's' and letters * Counting and learning numbers * Being understood when he or she speaks to a stranger * Using scissors, crayons, and paints * Reacting to too much or too little to touch * Using words or, later, stringing words together into phrases * Prounouncing words * Walking foward or up and down stairs * Remembering the names of colors * Dressing self without assistance ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Does the child have trouble with: * Learning new vocabulary * Speaking in full sentences * Understanding the rules of conversation * Retelling stories * Remembering newly learned information * Playing with peers * Moving from one activity to another * Expressing thoughts orally or in writing * Holding a pencil * Handwriting * Computing math problems at his or her grade level * Following directions * Self-esteem * Remembering routines * Learning new skills * Understanding what he or she reads * Succeeding in one or more subject areas * Drawing or copying shapes * Understanding what information presented in class is important * Modulating voice (may speak too loudly or in a monotone) * Keeping notebook neat and assignments organzied * Remembering and sticking to deadlines * Understanding how to play age-appropriate board games Copyright © 2002 Brooklyn Grandparents' Coalition. All rights reserved.