What Parents Need to Know About Learning Disability Tests
written by Heidi Borst, published on US News
Learning new concepts and behaviors is challenging for many children. But when difficulty persists despite extra support at home and in school, education experts start looking to see if a learning disability is at play.
It may be that a child is struggling to learn to read, or that an inability to sit still and focus is impeding academic progress. Whatever the signs, learning disabilities are more common than many may think. One in five U.S. children have learning and attention issues such as dyslexia or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, according to the National Center for Learning Disabilities.
Yet, experts say that many who might qualify for support in school do not receive it because learning disabilities often go undetected. Parents and teachers are often the first to suspect a learning disability when they see a child’s overall abilities offset by a particular area of frustration or difficulty, says Rebecca Burns, a language and linguistics consultant in Florida.
“In school, children routinely receive hearing and vision screening tests, but specific testing for learning disabilities is done only on a case-by-case basis when approved by a team of teachers, parents and other professionals,” she says.