Learning Disabilities
Does your child continue to struggle in school despite giving their best effort? Do they dread reading, writing an essay, or doing math problems? Is homework a battle every night? These are common experiences among those with a Learning Disability. Evaluating for a Learning Disability can identify a student’s strengths and weaknesses to understand how they learn best and provide interventions to help them find success at school.
What is a Learning Disability?
According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), a Learning Disability is a type of Neurodevelopment Disorder, that impacts a student’s ability to learn or use specific academic skills. These difficulties in learning cannot be better explained by vision, hearing, motor, developmental, or other neurological delays. Dyslexia (reading), Dyscalculia (math), and Dysgraphia (writing) are the most well known types of Learning Disabilities.
A Learning Disability, is not an indication of a child’s overall cognitive intelligence, as most children identified as having a Learning Disability have average to above average intelligence. There is no cure for a Learning Disability, however early intervention can significantly lessen their effects. Student’s with Learning Disabilities can learn and be successful in school, they just require proper identification and instruction that is designed to fit their needs.
Why get a Psycho-Educational Evaluation?
For student’s with a Learning Disability, these evaluations can identify your child’s cognitive, academic, and behavioral strengths and weaknesses. Results are used to develop specific treatment goals designed to increase academic performance. Additionally, Evaluations may provide supporting evidence that your child needs, and would benefit from, academic services within the school setting. Additionally, a Psycho-Educational Evaluation can help find ways to reduce some of the anxiety or stress associated with Learning Disabilities and help you and your child to start enjoying school life again.
Areas typically assessed:
1. IQ and Cognitive - will provide information regarding various cognitive strengths and weaknesses. Will assess areas such as Verbal Comprehension, Visual Spatial Processing, Working Memory, Reasoning Ability and Processing Speed.
2. Academic Achievement - will provide highly detailed information about reading, writing, and mathematical skills. Additionally, an age and grade equivalency will be obtained to determine exactly where your student is performing in relation to their peers.
(If necessary based on intake interview)
3. Social/Emotional/Behavior - will provide information regarding Internalizing Problems (Anxiety, Depression), Externalizing Problems (Hyperactivity, Aggression, Conduct Problems), and Behavior (Attention Problems, Withdrawal). ADHD and Adaptive Behavior will also be assessed.
Note: Each evaluation is customized to meet the specific needs of the client. Your evaluation may consist of different elements than those listed above.