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Children's
Mental Health
Learning Disabilities
How
Common Are Learning Disabilities?
Parents are often worried and disappointed when their child has problems
learning in school. There are many reasons for failure in school; a common
one is a specific learning disability. A child with a learning disability
is usually bright and initially tries very hard to follow instructions,
concentrate, and "be good" at home and in school. Yet despite this effort
he or she is not mastering school tasks and falls behind. Some learning
disabled children also have trouble sitting still or paying attention.
Learning disabilities affect as many as 15 percent of otherwise able
schoolchildren.
What Causes Learning
Disabilities?
It is believed that learning disabilities are caused by a difficulty with
the nervous system that affects receiving, processing, or communicating
information. Some learning disabled children are also hyperactive, easily
distracted, and have a short attention span.
Early Detection
and Treatment is Important
Child and adolescent psychiatrists point out that learning disabilities
are treatable, but if not detected and treated early, they can have a
serious "snowballing" effect. For instance, a child who does not learn
addition in elementary school cannot understand algebra in high school.
The child, trying very hard to learn, becomes more and more frustrated,
and develops emotional problems such as low self-esteem in the face of
repeated failure. Some learning disabled children misbehave in school
because they would rather be seen as "bad" than "stupid."
Warning Signs
Parents should be aware of the most frequent signals of learning disabilities.
Does your child:
- have difficulty
understanding and following instructions.
- have trouble remembering
what someone just told him or her.
- fail to master
reading, writing, and/or math skills, and thus fails schoolwork.
- have difficulty
distinguishing right from left, for example, confusing 25 with 52, "b"
with "d," or "on" with "no."
- lack coordination
in walking, sports, or small activities such as holding a pencil or
tying a shoelace.
- easily lose or
misplace homework, schoolbooks, or other items.
- not understand
the concept of time; is confused by "yesterday," "today," and "tomorrow."
Work With A Mental
Health Professional
Such problems deserve a comprehensive evaluation by an expert who can
assess all of the different issues affecting the child. A child and adolescent
psychiatrist can help coordinate the evaluation and work with school professionals
and others to evaluate and test your child to determine if a learning
disability exists. After talking with the child and family and reviewing
the educational testing and consulting with the school, the child and
adolescent psychiatrist will make recommendations on appropriate school
placement, the need for special help such as special educational therapy
or speech-language therapy, and help parents assisting their child in
maximizing his or her learning potential.
Treatment for Learning
Disabilities
Sometimes individual or family psychotherapy ("talking" about your child's
problems) will be recommended. Psychotherapy may help to strengthen your
child's self-confidence; which is vital for healthy development. Therapy
also helps parents and other family members better understand and cope
with the realities of living with a child with learning disabilities.
Medication may be prescribed for hyperactivity or distractibility.
MHAFC needs your financial support to continue to improve awareness and understanding of mental illnesses. Please click here to make a contribution.
This publication is
generously supported by a grant from the William H. Donner Foundation
and Eli Lilly and Company.
Copyright 1996
