learning disabilities symptoms checklist

learning disabilities symptoms checklist in children How to deal with this problem

Questions to ask the parents and teachers

The child will usually be brought to you because she is doing badly in school and thus getting information from the teachers can be helpful. You will need to ask questions about common childhood mental health problems in the following manner:

• First ask questions about mental retardation. Particularly when mild mental retardation may go undetected until the child reaches school. A careful history of milestones may suggest that the child is mentally retarded.

• Ask about hearing and vision difficulties.

• Next consider hyperactivity. Ask questions about overactivity, difficulty in concentration and attention.

If you are confident that the child is not mentally retarded, ask the following questions:

• What difficulty does your child have with studies? Does he make errors mainly with reading or spelling or writing? Does he have specific problems with mathematics? Does he have difficulty in understanding instructions? These are typically reported in children with dyslexia.

• Does your child have difficulty in telling right from left? Is she clumsy or poorly coordinated, for example in sports? Many children with dyslexia have these sorts of difficulties.

Finally, consider a family problem. Ask the parents about problems in the home, including violence and child abuse.

learning disabilities symptoms checklist Questions to ask the child

Interviewing children to identify dyslexia requires experience and skill. Ideally, you should refer the child to a specialist child guidance clinic for further tests. Explain to the parents why this is being

done; they may become very worried about the ‘testing’. If, however, you do not have a specialist clinic near you, you could ask the following questions to help detect dyslexia in the child:

• Why are you having difficulties with studies? The child’s views are important; remember that the child is probably very worried about his difficulties.

• Are there some subjects that you find more enjoyable than others? For example, children with specific problems with numbers will not like mathematics.

• Do you have difficulty with reading or following what the teacher is saying?

• Do you have difficulty with spelling?

• Do you have difficulty with mathematics?

• Do you have difficulty with hearing what the teacher is saying? Or seeing what is written on the blackboard?

• How has this problem affected your life? How do your teachers and parents react to your difficulties?