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Summer is almost over. You are all “beached out.” It is time for a little organization in the house. Labor Day will come and go and then you arrive at the first day of school. Parents and children have high hopes for another great year looking for new challenges, new books to read and new things to learn. Then why aren’t you happy? It is different for your child! Each year the struggle gets worse. The teacher becomes more concerned. He is not working up to potential. He is not getting along with the other children. He seems distant and uninterested in school. For a parent of a child who has a learning difficulty, the beginning of school can be a dreaded event. Parents of a child struggling in school will often go through a few years of denial. They often feel that a little time and maturity will go a long way. Maybe this will be the year that it all “clicks.” Maybe this teacher will understand him and make the difference. Often, this denial leads to more problems than ever expected. When parents realize that the issue is not going away, that is when they can start to take action. Issues stand in the way of a child’s ability to learn. They can be divided into three basic categories. Mechanical: I call this one “mechanical” because these are barriers that have to do with the mechanics of learning. Does the child see in order to read? Can he hear in order to listen? Can he discriminate sounds or words on a page? Is he dyslexic? There are a variety of mechanical problems that can stand in the way of learning. The best person to evaluate this is an educational psychologist. Educational psychologists are highly trained in educational testing and identifying specific learning disabilities. They are often part of the school district or may be in private practice. Psycho-emotional: The environment in the 21st century is very complex. Families are under an abundance of stress. Families break up, which causes severe anxiety. The younger the child, the more likely he will act out in class, look for control of a situation, or be distracted from learning. Self-esteem and motivation can be severely impaired when a child is faced with family problems. Biochemical: Depression, attention deficit disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder are only a few of the biochemical disorders that can affect the ability of the brain to attend to tasks and learn. In the brain, learning is a biochemical change that involves neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are chemical substances that carry signals from neural cell to cell. If there is a disruption in the function of these substances, interference in learning can occur. Certain medications, toxic substances and brain injury can also get in the way of optimal learning. When learning problems are viewed in these three areas, the evaluation of the struggling child may now seem obvious. Educational testing, psychological evaluation of the child and family and a physiological/medical examination of the child are key elements to putting a plan into motion for your child. Looking at all aspects of the child’s environment will aid the professionals and the parents in the development of an educational plan. It is best to have all of the information before deciding on an educational plan. There are many approaches to intervention and it is in your best interest as well as your child’s to understand what is available. Some children require a change in environment due to differences in learning styles. Not every child learns the same way. Medication to enhance neurotransmitter function may be suggested. Tutoring may be in order. Family therapy and individual counseling may be most important. There are numerous possibilities! Be aware of therapies that are not shown to make a difference. A trip down the wrong road can be costly both academically and financially. A final thought: Look at your child as an individual, not as a number on a test or another student in the classroom. Identify his strengths as well as his weaknesses by using his strengths to his advantage and to build self-esteem. Try to adjust the environment to meet the child’s needs rather than force the child to adapt to an unhealthy environment. You will be happier and so will your child! Dr. Clyde Wesp is a pediatrician with Southern Orange County Pediatric Associates with offices in Lake Forest, Laguna Hills, Rancho Santa Margarita, Ladera Ranch and San Clemente (Talega) and is affiliated with Saddleback Memorial Medical Center, Mission Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Orange County. He is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Memorial Care Physician Society. If you have any questions or comments for Dr. Wesp you can email him at askdrwesp@netscape.net. |
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