About Learning Disabilities - Learning Disabilities

Written by Dr. Bob Myers

Among the symptoms commonly related to learning disabilities are:

• poor performance on group tests
• difficulty discriminating size, shape, color
• difficulty with temporal (time) concepts
• distorted concept of body image
• reversals in writing and reading
• general awkwardness
• poor visual-motor coordination
• hyperactivity
• difficulty copying accurately from a model
• slowness in completing work
• poor organizational skills
• easily confused by instructions
• difficulty with abstract reasoning and/or problem solving
• disorganized thinking
• often obsesses on one topic or idea
• poor short-term or long-term memory
• impulsive behavior; lack of reflective thought prior to action
• low tolerance for frustration
• excessive movement during sleep
• poor peer relationships
• overly excitable during group play
• poor social judgment
• inappropriate, unselective, and often excessive display of affection
• lags in developmental milestones (e.g. motor, language)
• behavior often inappropriate for situation
• failure to see consequences for his actions
• overly gullible; easily led by peers
• excessive variation in mood and responsiveness
• poor adjustment to environmental changes
• overly distractible; difficulty concentrating
• difficulty making decisions
• lack of hand preference or mixed dominance
• difficulty with tasks requiring sequencing

When considering these symptoms, it is important to remain mindful of the following:

1. No one will have all these symptoms.
2. Among LD populations, some symptoms are more common than others.
3. All people have at least two or three of these problems to some degree.
4. The number of symptoms seen in a particular child does not give an indication as whether the disability is mild or severe. It is important to consider if the behaviors are chronic and appear in clusters.

The parent should contact the child's school and arrange for testing and evaluation. Federal law requires that public school districts provide special education and related services to children who need them. If these tests indicate that the child requires special educational services, the school evaluation team (planning and placement team) will meet to develop an individual educational plan (IEP) geared to the child's needs. The IEP describes in detail an educational plan designed to remediate and compensate for the child's difficulties.

Simultaneously, the parent should take the child to the family pediatrician for a complete physical examination. The child should be examined for correctable problems (e.g. poor vision or hearing loss) that may cause difficulty in school.