Specific Learning Disorders (SLDs) in Children
Chase is a 9-year-old boy attending an elementary school in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He used to love learning, but more recently, he has dreaded going to school. Chase often avoids reading books at home, fears being called on to read aloud in class, and has trouble sounding out and spelling new words. Although he has been receiving tutoring for the past year, he is falling behind other students in these areas, and this is really starting to take a toll on his self-esteem.
Emma is a 14-year-old girl attending a junior high school in Birmingham, Alabama. While she enjoys art and music, math has become a source of frustration for her. Emma struggles to understand basic math concepts, often mixing up numbers and having difficulty with simple addition and subtraction. In class, she hesitates to answer questions, fearing she will get them wrong. Despite her teacher's encouragement and the extra help she’s receiving during math tutoring sessions, Emma finds herself falling more and more behind her classmates. This struggle has led to feelings of anxiety and a lack of confidence in her abilities, impacting her overall enjoyment of school.
Liam is a 7-year-old boy attending an elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee. He loves storytelling and often has imaginative ideas he wants to share, but when it comes to writing, he faces significant challenges. Liam's handwriting is often illegible, and he finds it hard to organize his thoughts on paper. He gets easily frustrated when tasked with writing assignments and prefers to verbally express himself rather than write. Although his teachers recognize his creativity and try to support him with tools like speech-to-text software, Liam’s difficulties with writing have led to a reluctance to participate in class activities that involve written work, affecting his enthusiasm for learning.
Do any of these stories sound familiar?
Learning Disorders and Learning Disabilities
Some children who struggle with learning may have something called a “specific learning disorder.” You may have heard of terms such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, or dysgraphia – These are all examples of learning disorders. Specific learning disorders typically impact how children understand, process, organize, and use information, and they can range from mild to severe. Recent research suggests that around 1 in every 59 children has a learning disorder, with dyslexia being the most common.
While it’s unclear what exactly causes learning disorders, we do know that they tend to run in families, and children with certain risk factors (e.g., premature birth, fetal exposure to alcohol or other substances, exposure to environmental toxins) may be more likely to have learning challenges. Early signs of learning challenges include fine motor difficulties (e.g., trouble holding writing utensils), language problems (e.g., understanding or using language to communicate), and difficulty acquiring early reading (e.g., word and sound matching) or math (e.g., counting) skills. Many children with learning challenges become easily frustrated or upset during certain activities, and they may even avoid or attempt to get out of doing them, because the skill required for that task is so difficult for them. It is also common for children with learning disorders to have co-occurring conditions such as anxiety, depression, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
So… is a specific learning disorder the same thing as a learning disability? Not always! While “specific learning disorder” is a neurodevelopmental condition based on specific diagnostic criteria, “learning disability” refers to the legal term associated with the public school system. In the United States, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) defines what a learning disability is. Although many children diagnosed with a specific learning disorder also meet criteria for a learning disability, these terms are not interchangeable. This means that while some children may meet diagnostic criteria for a specific learning disorder based on a licensed professional’s evaluation, those same children may not be eligible for specialized instruction and services under an Individualized Education Program (IEP), and vice versa. These subtle differences can make navigating the process of getting evaluated for learning disorders very confusing. Importantly, just because a child does not meet diagnostic criteria for a specific learning disorder or qualify for an IEP under an eligibility classification of a learning disability, this does not mean their learning challenges are not real.
Identifying and Diagnosing Learning Disabilities
Schools typically use one of three methods to identify students with learning disabilities: 1) ability achievement discrepancy (AAD; i.e., significant difference between cognitive and academic achievement skills); 2) response to intervention (RTI), which involves a multi-tiered system of supports aimed to provide students with increasingly intensive academic intervention and monitor their response; and 3) patterns of strengths and weaknesses (PSW), which relies on cognitive assessment data. Many schools require that a student demonstrate “unexpected underachievement” to qualify for special education services, meaning that their academic performance is well below what would be expected based on their cognitive profiles. The Learning Disability Association of America endorses PSW models of SLD identification, though schools vary in their methods of determination.
Regardless of whether a child qualifies for a diagnosis of specific learning disorder, an eligibility classification of learning disability, or both, help is available! Learning disorders may be managed through support from educators, remediation specialists, special education services, or other healthcare providers such as occupational and speech therapists. Additionally, children may benefit from certain modifications, teaching techniques, use of technology (e.g., speech-to-text, audio books, word-processing programs), memory aids, and visual supports.
You may be wondering – what should I do if I suspect my child may have a learning disorder? First, you may request an evaluation from your child’s school (how-to guide here: Requesting an evaluation) and/or a psychologist to identify any learning challenges. Sometimes, learning difficulties are better explained by another condition, such as an intellectual disability, vision or hearing problems, or ADHD. Other times, these challenges may be due to a lack of adequate instruction (e.g., frequently missing school due to illness) or difficulties understanding or speaking the language used by teachers, which can negatively impact learning. Overall, there may be several factors at play, so it is important to get a comprehensive picture of a child’s skills, including their strengths and areas of growth!
Evaluation at Upward
At Upward Behavioral Health, we recognize the importance of understanding and supporting your child’s unique brain. Dr. Kathleen Ramsey provides virtual evaluations for children who are exhibiting learning difficulties. Her evaluations are comprehensive, and the reports parents receive include diagnoses, data interpretation, treatment recommendations, and recommendations for accommodations. The report you receive will be an excellent support as you advocate for services for your child. To schedule a free 15-minute consultation call and learn more, click here!
Resources:
What Are the Different Kinds of Learning Disorders? - Child Mind Institute
Early Signs of Learning Challenges - Child Mind Institute
Learning Disabilities Association of America – Support. Educate. Advocate.