What signs would you notice?
By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Learning disabilities such as dyslexia are not uncommon among schoolchildren and can be overlooked by teachers when children have developed effective coping mechanisms.
So what would you see at home that could indicate your child should be screened?
“During the pre-K years, you may notice if a child has difficulty learning nursery rhymes, learning and recalling names of letters of the alphabet, and unable to recognize letters in their own name,” said Marianne Jones, director at Children’s Dyslexia Center of Central New York in Oriskany.
She added that family history or reading difficulties may also be a sign. With older children, it may be reading errors, little ability to understand phonetics and sound out words and very slowly acquired reading skills, although Jones noted that not all of these signs need to be present.
“Often, you may see the child’s frustration,” said Jenny Hutkowski, director of family and youth education at Starbridge that serves Upstate New York. “It can look like acting out, avoiding homework or maybe not being able to complete the assignments or being secretive about assignments.”
Sometimes, a child may struggle to complete homework because of big gaps in critical skills because a learning disability has kept them from adequately progressing.
Hutkowski added that at a parent/teacher conference, a child’s teacher may also bring up behavioral issues, such as the child needing to use the restroom during math class or talking with a neighbor during class. These strategies help a child with a learning disability avoid facing the embarrassment of not finishing the assigned homework or floundering at the chalkboard.
How learning disabilities manifest varies between the genders. Hutkowski said that boys tend to act out more. Boys may become the class clown to distract from poor performance, defy teachers to win classmates’ approval or bully other students to feel better about themselves.
“Girls tend to fly under the radar,” Hutkowski said. “They may develop coping skills and not even realize it.”
For example, instead of memorizing addition facts, a girl with dyscalculia may use an analog clock’s numbers to count up and arrive at the correct answer. Students can discover creative ways to skirt tasks made difficult by the disability and for a while, hide their challenges.
A boy with dyslexia who struggles with reading may declare he “hates reading” or that “reading is for sissies” but in reality, feels frustrated that he’s not keeping up with his peers.
Until a student receives an evaluation, it’s not certain that a learning disability exists or if a child is acting out.
It may also help to compare the child’s overall grades with the area of struggle. If only one subject receives consistent D and F grades — despite good effort — while the rest are in the A and B range, it may indicate a learning disability.
“Look for persistent struggles with reading, writing, and maintaining focus and pay attention to behavioral issues that may be tied to frustration,” Julie Colvin, family medicine physician at St. Joseph’s Health and the chief school physician for Fayetteville-Manlius Schools. “I would encourage parents to work with teachers and school counselors if they have any concerns about their children.”
Receiving a diagnosis early provides many benefits for children. Because of lack of providers nationwide, sometimes children do not receive early enough diagnosis to receive early intervention.
There’s no cookie cutter answer to whether a child should be screened for a learning disability. Parents are the experts on their own children and the signs of a possible learning disability can “vary person to person and is not exclusive,” said Sherry Crisafulli director of special children services Oswego County Health Department. “Parents should always discuss their concerns with their child’s pediatrician and classroom teacher. Some signs to look for may include impulsiveness; easily distracted or can’t focus; difficulty with listening, following directions or understanding; lack of coordination; dysregulated emotions; and difficulty understanding school academics.”