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L: Hello everyone ! Thank you for tuning in to Psycho radio. Coming next, an interview with a psychologist on learning disabilities and what we (as parents or educators) can do to help.
The term learning disabilities is used to approach a broad variety of learning problems among children whose brains are wired differently. These differences alter how they receive and process information and it has nothing to do with them having “brain damage” or being mentally retarded. Learning disorders can be sorted by which area of learning it affects :
– Academic skills such as reading, writing, spelling, and mathematics ;
– Language and speech skills (listening, talking and understanding) ;
– And motor skills such as coordination, balance and writing.
But what does it mean for my child’s future ? How are they gonna make it through school ? These difficulties are concerning and need to be addressed. That’s why Elise is here with us today, Elise good morning.
E: Good morning Louise !
L: You’ve been studying learning disabilities for years now, what’s the first thing you say when meeting a child’s family who consult you about learning disabilities ?
E: I always start by reassuring them that their child is just as smart as everyone else’s and that they just need to be taught in ways that fit their unique study styles.
L: What about the most common types of learning disorders ? What are they and how do they impact your child’s learning journey ?
E: First of all, there are a lot of variations from one child to another. One may have trouble with mathematics while another struggles with spelling.
L: That’s why it’s so hard to identify !
E: Exactly. As you said it earlier, learning disorders are usually sorted by school-area skill set. Difficulties in reading, or dyslexia, cause problems understanding the link between sounds, letters and words or the meaning of words, phrases and/or paragraphs. Dyscalculia is a math learning disorder, dysgraphia is the term for writing disabilities, dyspraxia describes issues with movement and coordination – fine motor skills in sum. Dysphasia is a language disorder that involve the ability to understand or produce spoken language. Auditory and visual processing problems can be observed through difficulties hearing differences between sounds and problems interpreting visual information.
L: Is that all ? What about ADHD we often hear about ?
E: ADD is also a learning disorder but it affects the child’s attention. It involves difficulties in concentrating and sustaining attention during a particular task or activity in spite of good will. The child is therefore easily distracted and loses the thread of the activity being performed. It can be associated with hyperactivity which means that the child moves around a lot and does not or can’t stay still.
L: Now that we learned a little more about those disabilities, how do we detect them ? What signs do not deceive?
E: Well, those disorders have repercussions in all areas of a child’s life. Very early, parents and caregivers can observe signs such as hyperactivity, difficulties in tying shoelaces, holding their cutlery… However, it’s often the teachers during the first year of primary school who notice that some children have difficulties in reading or writing compared to their peers. The beginning of primary school is a pivotal time for the appearance and detection of learning difficulties.
L: Who can we contact to diagnose and learn to manage learning disorders ?
E: Often parents are redirected to a neuropsychologist who’ll do an assessment of intellectual efficiency and will be able to settle on a potential ADHD. If difficulties with language persist, teachers might want to refer parents to a speech therapist, and a psychometrician if they suspect dyspraxia. The final diagnosis is made by a pediatric neurologist, a pediatrician, or a psychiatrist. The school psychologist can also make an assessment and redirect families to professionals outside the school.
L: In addition to the indispensable re-educational care provided by the professionals you mentioned before, I suppose there are arrangements that must be made at school to promote children’s well-being and academic success, right ?
E: Exactly, various educational adaptations can be put in place : fill-in the gaps dictations, reading rulers, even help from an at school assistant. At home, parents can easily get pimpled cushions for ADHD children, story cubes to encourage dialogue for dysphasic children, illustrated alphabets to help dyslexic children decode or use games like Jungle Speed or Dobble to work on executive functions.
L: A question we get frequently asked: What can you do when the school does nothing? How do you help your children ?
E: Well, since 2013 the inclusion of children with difficulties is mandatory by law. It’s up to the school to adapt to the child and not the other way around. Together, with the professionals who follow the child and the parents, the school has to develop personalized support plans to promote academic success and school adaptation.
L: Finally, if you had a key message for our concerned parents listening, what would it be?
E: These children are perfectly capable of following traditional schooling programs, but it has to be with a few adjustments. Learning disabilities are invisible handicaps that persist into adulthood, but good care and accommodations allow the child to compensate for his difficulties and live “normally”. Patience, creativity and love are needed to help your young, resourceful children grow up in the best possible conditions ! L: Well thank you very much for your time, this has been lovely ! I hope you had a great time.
E: I did ! Thanks for having me Louise !
L: We hope that this podcast helped give you a global view of learning disabilities and might even have tickled your curiosity ! If you have any questions, be sure to visit the Psycho radio website and ask.
This podcast will be accessible in replay on our website so you can share it with a friend who needs to learn about learning disorders ! Thank you again for listening to us this morning, you were on Psycho radio, have a lovely day !