Learning Disabilities in Middle Childhood: How to Help Your Child

How to Help a Child with Learning Disabilities

What Happens in Middle Childhood

Middle childhood, the time between being a toddler and a teenager, is typically a peak period for a child's development and education. Children fully develop personalities and formulate ideas about the world that may stick with them for their entire lives. Your child will probably begin to think critically about the world and will absorb a massive amount of information both at school and at home. When your child has a learning disability, however, this process can be challenging.

Diagnosing Learning Disabilities

The term 'learning disability' encompasses a wide array of challenges that kids may experience in school. Learning disabilities usually don't impact a child's intelligence but can make it more difficult for children to read, write, reason, spell or organize information. If you notice that your child is displaying characteristics of a learning disability, seek professional help right away. It's possible for children to overcome learning disabilities and be very successful, but they are more likely to be successful when parents and teachers organize interventions.

If your child is already in middle childhood by the time you diagnose a learning disability, don't despair. It's still not too late for an intervention to be successful. Work with your child's teachers to create an educational plan that will help your child master the skills that he or she lacks. This plan may include nontraditional and hands-on techniques or structured learning environments. If the first methods you attempt don't appear to help your child, try new techniques until you see a difference in his or her performance.

Accommodating Your Child

The type of accommodations and interventions that your child will require depends largely on what kind of learning disability he or she suffers from and its severity. Consult with your child's teachers, education professionals, doctors and learning experts to find out what plan of action is best for your child's education. Create a positive learning environment at home for your child so that he or she can focus despite having a disability. Use positive reinforcement and encouragement rather than criticism or punishment. Maintain an uncluttered, distraction-free area of your home that's exclusively for learning.