When You Suspect Your Child Has A Learning Disability

Years ago, when my oldest was around 5 or 6 years old, I started noticing some struggles she was having. This child who had previously known the alphabet and could write some words, had seemingly completely forgotten everything! I had no idea what I was looking at or what to do, but I definitely knew there was something very wrong. Some kind of learning disability.

I first noticed it when we would say the alphabet (not sing it). She would forget letters. Then I got a foam floor mat that had the alphabet on it, and I'd point to a letter and ask her what it was.. she couldn't remember most of them.

The first thing suggested to me by a friend was Dyslexia. Honestly, I didn't think it was Dyslexia (or, at least, not just Dyslexia). She also was struggling to hear things properly. Like, I babysat a little girl named Penelope, but my daughter called her Vanelope. No matter how many times I would tell her how to say "Penelope", and would enunciate it so clearly, she still was hearing "Vanelope". So, I started doing research into learning disabilities.

The unfortunate thing with doing research on these kinds of issues, is that there are SO many articles you can come across, and way too frequently you find the people saying "Well my child had this struggle, and they're fine".

OK, Karen, that's great.. but I have a concern here and need help.

My mom had actually just done some testing with my youngest sister who is only 5 years older than my daughter. She got diagnosed with Central Auditory Processing Disorder. Honestly, up until this point, I had never even heard of CAPD, and I definitely didn't know that it was a learning disability. But, I began asking her questions about it and doing my own research. I realized that my daughter fit so many of the "symptoms", so I made an appointment with an Audiologist. Which, by the way, was not an easy task, because nobody seems to know what CAPD is except audiologists... So her pediatrician didn't send the right referral.

I digress...

Anyway, we got the testing done and it was quite the experience. I found out my daughter had Auditory Processing Disorder, yes, but she had a specific branch of it called "Tolerance Fading Memory". The best way to describe this, is to compare her to Dory. Her long-term memory is impeccable, but the short term/working memory was... rough. From there, she went into Speech Language Therapy and has had even more educational testing done (as that first diagnosis was about 3.5 years ago).

We've been fortunate enough to learn about all of her struggles and be able to completely specify her learning and curriculum around what works best for her (a perk of homeschooling), but so many families don't have these resources. So many don't understand what they're looking at/looking for or where to start. Let me just say.. If you suspect your child is having a hard time with learning, please seek help. Don't stop seeking until you get some answers.

Learning shouldn't be hard. Don't let anyone tell you differently.

There is a huge difference between a "tough" math test, and a child not ever learning how to multiply or divide.

There is a huge difference between an extensive vocabulary test, and a child who can't remember how to spell basic words.

If you suspect anything, seek help. Seek answers. And then.. make their education fit their needs :)