This was an article published in the August edition of the

NE Ohio Family Magazine

Recognizing the Signs of a Learning Disability
Ellen S Fishman - 8/2009

Specific learning disabilities, often referred to as hidden, are complex in nature, poorly understood and often hard to identify, though there are certain indicators or red flags seen in individuals with SLD. It is not uncommon for parents and teachers of primary school-age children to attribute the first signs of academic difficulties to “laziness or lack of motivation” as the cause. The root cause, however, is not remotely related to such things. Rather, SLD is an information-processing problem, is neurological in origin, life-long and manifests in areas such as reading, writing, spelling, comprehension and can even impact social skills. SLD affects some 10 percent of the population. When left undiagnosed, many with SLD are frustrated by the schools’ demands, fall behind and eventually drop out. Individuals with SLD are average to above-average in intelligence and a small percentage are gifted.

Early warning signs that your child may have a learning disability:

Preschool:

· Late talking compared to other children

· Pronunciation problems

· Slow vocabulary growth; often unable to find the right word

· Difficulty rhyming words

· Trouble learning numbers, the alphabet, days of the week

· Extremely restless and easily distracted

· Trouble interacting with peers· Poor ability to follow directions or routines

Grades K -4

· Slow to learn the connection between letters and sounds

· Confuses basic words (run, eat, want)

· Makes consistent reading and spelling errors including letter reversals (b/d), inversions (m/w), transpositions (felt/left) and substitutions (house/home)

· Transposes number sequences and confuses arithmetic signs

· Slow recall of facts

. Slow to learn new skills; relies heavily on memorization

The Learning Disabilities Association of Northeast Ohio works to educate individuals about SLD. The organization offers a number of programs and works together with local schools and other agencies to assure that those with SLD are identified properly and provided appropriate services so they “realize their potential and achieve their goals.” LDANEO will offer two programs this fall: One is an interactive social skills program for children in third through fifth grades. This six-week session explores practical strategies for addressing social communication and social skill development in elementary school. The second program is a unique learning opportunity called Parents and Teachers Together. This program will give parents and teachers an increased understanding of SLD, special education laws, evaluations and individualized education programs. Session topics include: An in-depth look at the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Section 504, along with learning about the evaluation process – how a school district identifies a disability.

For more information and program costs, contact the Learning Disabilities Association of Northeast Ohio at 216-581-4549.

Ellen S. Fishman, M.Ed is executive director of the Learning Disabilities Association of Northeast Ohio.