SLD, also known as specific learning disability, is the diagnosis a doctor may give to children (and some adults) who have trouble understanding or learning language based information. It’s a type of neurodevelopmental disorder.
They may have significant challenges with mathematics, reading, or writing. This may be problematic, as these are the building blocks and core competencies for many future career paths that might be that person’s strength.
SLD interferes with how children take in and process information. If they have issues with incorrect or incomplete schoolwork, it isn’t because they “aren’t focusing” or “not trying hard enough” — it’s a result of SLD.
SLD requires early detection and treatments as a lot of children and teenagers can do well in educational programs and career, despite the learning disability! The CGC clinic in Udaipur can help you and your child with SLD .
Characteristics of those who have Specific learning disability (SLD)
SLD symptoms do vary from child to child. No child experiences all of the symptoms of SLD at once. Some features of SLD are notable, while it mostly requires a formal psychological assessment. These symptoms of learning disability includes :-
- Slow reading speed for the child’s grade level.
- Trouble understanding the meaning of what they’re reading.
- Struggling to clearly write out thoughts without grammatical errors
- Marked difficulty with spelling and grammar.
- May or may not have particular trouble with mathematical concepts like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division etc.
- Difficulty completing math problems or knowing how or when to apply the concepts.
- Poor concentration and ability to memorize lessons learnt at school or home.
- Poor at some subjects or most of the subjects.
- Low scores in school examinations specially in higher grade.
Types of Specific Learning Disabilities.
Your child psychologist can help in psychological assessment of SLD/learning disability. Some types of SLD are the following:-
- Dyslexia: Difficulty with reading, such as inaccurate or slow reading, and trouble understanding the meaning of what is read.
- Dysgraphia: Challenges with writing, including poor handwriting, trouble with spelling, and difficulty organizing thoughts on paper.
- Dyscalculia: Problems with math, such as difficulty understanding numbers, learning math facts, and performing calculations.
Causes of learning disability/SLD
Learning disabilities can arise from a variety of factors, often involving a combination of genetic, environmental, and medical influences. Here are some common causes:
Genetic Factors
- Family History: Learning disabilities can run in families, suggesting a genetic component.
- Genetic Disorders: Conditions like Metabolic disorders, Down syndrome and Fragile X syndrome are associated with learning disabilities.
Environmental Factors
- Prenatal Exposure: Exposure to harmful substances during pregnancy, such as alcohol, drugs, or environmental toxins like lead, medical complications can increase the risk of learning disability in children.
- Postnatal Environment: Factors like seizures, malnutrition, medical issues, lack of stimulation, poor schooling and exposure to toxins after birth can also contribute.
Common emotional and social issue faced by a child with learning disability/SLD
When children or teenagers are diagnosed with a learning disability they naturally worry about how it will affect their school performance.
Not all but most children /teenagers with SLD go through at least some period of emotional and social struggle. It isn’t easy for children when they see themselves falling behind their peers at school. Even if they pretend that they don’t notice or care, struggling in school can be a demoralizing experience. Here are some signs that kids might be struggling emotionally:
- Lack of confidence
- Feeling that they are incompetent or dumb
- Lowered self-esteem
- Increased anxiety, particularly in stage performance or academic situations
- Increased sadness or irritability
- Acting out
- Physical symptoms like headaches or stomach aches
- Reduced motivation
- Crying or worrying on small triggers
- Bullying & Victimization
- Anger outbursts, frustration and violence
- Poor behavioural control
- School avoidance /Phobia/ Refusal
- Emotional burnout
- Psychosomatic issues- Stress induced Headaches, hair fall, stomachs, fainting, false seizures etc.
Early Detection of learning disability/SLD
Learning disability may be identified by the school teacher, tutor, parents or the child as well.
To diagnose SLD, specialized testing and an evaluation from a mental health professional are important steps in determining the particular diagnosis.
A thorough evaluation from a psychologist in your community or your child’s paediatrician or Neurologist can include:
- Academic tests and formal psychological testing for SLD
- Psychosocial screening for other psychological/psychiatric comorbidities
- A review of family history
- Psychosocial testing, Interviews and examination of school performance with teachers/parents
- A medical exam to rule out any other explanations for their learning challenges.
The Child Guidance, Counselling & Parenting Clinic (CGC) runs as a specialized learning disability clinic in Udaipur for SLD treatments & promoting healthy and adaptive development of children, adolescents with learning issues.
Role of School Teachers and School Psychologists in learning disability (SLD)
This process usually begins in your child’s school through a process which helps the teachers identify students who may have a learning disorder.
By setting up academic testing benchmarks, teachers are able to monitor their students’ progress and spot any students who may need additional attention.
Even students with or even those without a learning disorder can benefit from this because they can receive personalized help or move into a classroom that better fits their learning style. This help is given throughout the schooling years from primary to high school.
“Children who continue to struggle will then be formally tested by the school [or district] psychologist to assess for a learning disorder or SLD by a child psychologist .
In addition to testing at school, learning disorder testing is conducted by licensed clinical psychologists or neuropsychologists at a hospital.
Treatments for learning disorder or SLD
When it comes to treating SLD, early intervention is key to your child’s /teenager’s overall success in school and life. Helping your child understand their learning disorder and giving them the tools they need to overcome their obstacles is the best way to set them up for success. Learning Disability or SLD Treatment often involves:-
- A personalized approach for each child.
- Multimodal cognitive and educational interventions for learning issues.
- Learning disorder or SLD remediation to help with academic challenges.
- “Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)” personalized educational plan to set specific goals for the student that are developed with coordination from the child’s school.
- Vocational skill development
- Behaviour therapies with child and parents
- Family counselling & Parental interventions
- Learning Disabilities and Self-Advocacy interventions.
We at the Child Guidance, Counselling & Parenting Clinic (CGC) believe that “A proper, comprehensive assessment and SLD intervention should look at overall academic and psychosocial ability, along with identifying the components of mind that are NOT impaired”. We believe in nurturing and grooming every child with SLD so as to overcome the weaknesses and gain more and more talents or strengths, with time.
Our posts
Short informative by Dr Ansha Patel on learning disability/SLD in children/teenagers
Testimonials
What Our Patients are Saying
Further references
- Learning disorders. Retrieved from https://childmind.org/topics/learning-disorders/
- Specific Learning Disorder: When School Is Hard for Your Kid. Retrieved from https://psychcentral.com/disorders/specific-learning-disorder
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