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Learning Disability: How Is It Diagnosed? Will The Diagnosis Help Your Child? Do You Think Your Child Might Have A Learning Disability?

Do you think your child might have a learning disability? The signs of learning disabilities begin at an early age but can be overlooked or missed often until the 2nd or 3rd grade when a focus on testing and independent work becomes more common. Teachers and parents alike often shrug the signs off. They believe that the child will catch up or may just “not be interested” in learning.

While in reality, the child is trying their best to keep up with classmates while falling further behind.

Therefore, as parents and teachers, it is our responsibility to bring the right support to the table for this child. The best way to do this is to proceed with a learning disability test and learning disability evaluation. The IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) permits your child to have a free evaluation and diagnostic test through your local school district if a panel of experts believes that a learning disability is inhibiting their education.

The First Step

Are you wondering where to get the child tested for learning disability?

Then you should look no further than their school. All you need to do is apply for a referral; the parties concerned will then hold a discussion review the child’s education profile and also the situation at home. Once the panel of psychologists and school personnel agree that the child may be suffering from an undiagnosed learning disability then the child is evaluated for services. The diagnostic tests and evaluation help them identify the type of learning problem (dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, etc.)

How Is The Child Diagnosed?

There are four main types of test that determine if the child has a learning disability:

Intelligence Tests

Learning disabilities do not mean that your child has a low IQ. It simply means that the child has a few trouble areas that need more time to develop. These IQ tests help experts to assess the weakness and strengths of this individual.

Achievement Tests

These tests assess the child’s skills in all subjects and narrow down the areas where they falter. Unlike the cognitive-based IQ tests, this test revolves around the concepts and skills they learned in class. Achievement tests help us see what age and grade equivalent the child is currently functioning for various academic subjects.

For example:

Children suffering from dyscalculia have a hard time understanding mathematical concepts. However, their language skills and writing skills are often perfectly fine.

Once the problem is diagnosed, an Individualized Education Program (IEP) is designed to provide the appropriate modifications and accommodations for the child. These can include a separate classroom setting, Resource Room, extra time and individual or group tuitions to help the child understand mathematics at their own pace.

Language Tests

The test is common for elementary-aged students. It helps to assess the child’s language skills i.e. speaking, listening and writing. Children are often given verbal and written cues to respond to.

Visual Motor Integration Tests

Children suffering from dysgraphia aren’t able to synchronize their visual and motor skills. This hand-eye coordination problem affects their writing and drawing skills.

Paraprofessionals are often assigned to children who have this type of learning disability.

Afterwards

There may not be a “cure” for learning disabilities but proper testing will identify the concern, can put your mind at ease and help provide the right placement and strategies for your child. Additionally, the additional education support will be able to equip the child with the proper techniques to overcome the learning obstacles they face.

School districts provide basic testing, which can help identify the need for reading, math, or writing services and placement. However, often times Independent Educational Evaluations, which are paid for by your school district when you are not satisfied with the results they found are conducted by Dr. Angela Reiter & Associates. We also conduct more thorough and additional testing to specifically identify exact areas of strength and weakness within each academic area of concern. For example, the school district may find a weakness in Passage Comprehension, but we can identify exactly where the break down occurs to assist you in finding the correct strategies, accommodations, and modifications to best help your child. We are also highly skilled in late-age delayed diagnoses, even for adults.

Are you ready to get your child or yourself tested?

Evaluation Services Contact Us

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