Signs of Learning Disabilities in Children
6 Signs of Developmental Disabilities in Children
Every school year, some parents learn that their child is struggling with their lessons. These hardships may not have been present at all in the previous year, they may have gone unnoticed, or they may have been obscured by the student’s other strengths.
Whatever the case may be, it’s often scary and disheartening to learn that your child is having academic difficulties. But knowledge is important for determining the best course of action for empowering your child.
Psycho-educational & ADHD assessments are critical, but so too is your ability to recognize signs that your child may need targeted support. Here are 6 signs that indicate your child may have a developmental disability — and how to best support them.
6 Easy Ways to Tell If Your Child Has a Developmental Disability
Common initial signs of a developmental disability include:
An inability to focus
Disorganization
Uncharacteristic behavioral disruptions at school
Inability to listen
Inability to understand directions or tasks
Memory issues
An Inability to Focus
Difficulty concentrating on tasks or sustaining attention could be a sign of a developmental disability. Learners with attention-related disorders, such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), often struggle with focus.
Disorganization
Difficulty organizing tasks, materials, or thoughts may be linked to certain developmental disabilities. For example, individuals with executive functioning issues may struggle with planning and organizing.
Uncharacteristic Behavioral Disruptions at School
Sudden changes in behavior, especially disruptive behaviors, may be indicative of frustration or difficulty coping with academic challenges. Developmental disabilities can contribute to such frustrations.
Inability to Listen
Difficulty with active listening may be related to processing issues, where the individual struggles to comprehend and retain verbal information efficiently.
Inability to Understand Directions or Tasks
Trouble comprehending and following instructions might be a sign of a specific developmental disability related to language processing or auditory processing disorders.
Memory Issues
Persistent difficulties with short-term or working memory may be associated with developmental disabilities. For instance, dyslexia can affect memory for verbal information.
General Developmental Issues
Your child may have general developmental issues, or specific developmental issues relating to one subject, such as reading, writing, or math. If your child is doing well in many subjects and has a sudden decrease in their scores in one subject area, testing that may be the place to start.
Dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia are frequently tested for in children who are having subject-specific-issues. General developmental issues involve the ability to participate in school and class overall.
These could be signs of a deficiency in cognitive processing, executive functioning, comprehension, or fluency. Generalized assessments target all of these areas and can identify specific issues that should be addressed to improve your child’s performance.
When is the Right Time to Test Your Child?
The best time to test your child for developmental disabilities is as soon as you notice signs of a problem. Age doesn’t tend to be a factor in the ability to determine a diagnosis, as all psycho-educational tests are tailored specifically to your child’s exact age (in months).
They’re only ever peer-compared to children their same exact age, and the measures used are always accessible for your child’s developmental capabilities at that point in time. If you notice that your child seems to fall behind in certain subjects uncharacteristically, they fail to reach the potential you know they have, or they get frustrated at themselves (or school in general) due to difficulty, then you should test your child.
Some children face academic issues due to mental health issues that are unrelated to developmental. For example, anxiety often leads to lack of focus or interest. Consulting a doctor or a school psychologist about your concerns enables you to understand what your child may be experiencing and what could help them.
The sooner they are able to feel supported and understood, the better their academic career and mental health will be.
What Does a Psycho-Educational Assessment Indicate?
First, it’s important to understand that developmental disabilities and psychological testing doesn't mean there’s a problem, failure, or lack of intelligence present. These tests are often administered to children who are gifted, but
may be Twice Exceptional (2E) and also have disorders such as Autism or ADHD. Comprehensive testing can identify an issue in executive functioning to determine why your child is falling behind in school.
Once addressed, they’re more capable of reaching their full potential and scoring highly. The point of an assessment is to accurately determine what the issue is, where it is coming from, and how to solve or adapt to it.
Some diagnoses are permanent and indicate neurodiversity, such as ADHD and ASD. These are diagnoses that often require further support. However, differences shouldn’t be ranked, and there is nothing in either of these diagnoses that is wrong or that should be “fixed.”
Maximize Your Child’s Potential with an Psycho-Educational Assessment from Birch Psychology
There are many resources available to you and your child, including medications, therapy, after-school programs, developmental plans, and tutoring. At Birch Psychology, we work with many wonderful services that support children in their developmental adventures, and we prefer a collaborative approach to best care for your child’s individual needs.
We can provide outside-of-school, independent testing if your children are having developmental difficulties. We’ll act as a resource, helping you to understand what to do next and how to best support your child.
To support and empower your child on their educational journey, schedule an assessment consultation today.
Kyndal Sims
Birch Psychology