There is so much to watch for when you are a parent of a young child. You want to ensure your child is developing early reading skills, math skills and a good attitude about school. But what do you do when your child struggles in school from a young age?
If you know your child is experiencing learning difficulties, it’s important to not ignore the signs. Here are a few things to watch for when your child is young that could be signs of learning disabilities or other learning issues:
ISSUES WITH READING AND WRITING
For many children, reading and writing challenges start early and continue to be problematic throughout elementary school. If your child has a hard time remembering basic spelling rules, forming written letters or writing coherently, or reading aloud or fluently, one or more issues could be responsible.
Pay attention to your children’s reading comprehension as well. Are they understanding what they read? They could be missing skill gaps or dealing with something more complex like dyslexia.
STRUGGLING WITH SIMPLE MATH
Math difficulties tend to worsen with time because math as a subject becomes progressively harder. If your child has trouble reading or counting numbers, mastering simple math facts or understanding simple visual representations of numbers (e.g., that five dots represent the numeral five), dig deeper. Knowing the fundamentals is essential for middle school and high school math, where the subject gets much more complex.
POOR SHORT-TERM OR LONG-TERM MEMORY
There are lots of reasons that a good memory is helpful for students. It helps them store and recall information when they need it. It helps them remember directions long enough to complete multi-step work like math problems. A weak working memory and problems with focus are symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Your child’s school can help you identify issues like this, and a personalized tutoring program designed to address your child’s specific needs can be beneficial as well.
DIFFICULTY WITH DIRECTIONS
If your child struggles to comprehend written directions, or the teacher shares that he or she often misunderstands or does not seem to hear verbal directions, you might need to evaluate your child’s work habits more closely. Sometimes ADHD is the culprit, and other times, it could be a processing disorder or a visual issue.
WEAK STUDY, ORGANIZATIONAL AND TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS
Many students must cultivate these skills over time, but if your child misplaces or forgets about homework frequently, procrastinates during every homework session and ignores essential details during homework time, don’t wait to deal with these problems. This lack of executive functioning skills will become even more problematic as your child grows older.
School becomes more challenging with each grade, and the expectations increase. Your child must be able to focus, pay attention, manage his or her own time, stay organized and learn effectively. If your child struggles with these things and grades suffer as a result, professional tutoring help may be in order.
