When it comes to children, parents should keep a watchful eye on them when it comes to cognitive development and learning. Parents often overlook cases of children with learning disabilities due to the lack of awareness and knowledge.
Dr. Curtis Cripe – What is a learning disability?
Dr. Curtis Cripe, Ph.D., comes from a multidisciplinary professional and academic background that includes psychophysiology and addiction. He currently is the Director of Research and Development at the NTL Group. This company specializes in neuro-engineering programs that are used for the diagnosis and treatment of many neurological dysfunctions.
An insight into a learning disability children face
According to him, a learning disability refers to a neurological condition that affects the ability of the brain to send, receive and process information. Children with learning disabilities generally have problems with writing, reading, listening, speaking, and understanding the fundamentals of Math. They face challenges with general composition as well. Besides the above, learning disabilities cover a group of disorders like dysgraphia, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, etc. Again, some disabilities might co-exist with one another too.
What are the most common learning disabilities in children?
As a parent, you need to be aware and educated about the learning disabilities your child has. It is not prudent for you to overlook the matter when their early warning signs surface.
According to him, children generally have the following learning disabilities-
- Reading– Here, children struggle with reading, especially when they learn a new skill. However, if a child is not able to read, this again does not mean that it is a sign of a learning disability. If the child struggles to perceive a spoken word while combining distinct sounds, this is a sign of reading difficulties. According to Dr. Cripe, this condition makes it difficult for the child to understand how the letter makes the sound or how a combination of letters makes a word.
- Difficulties in writing– Every parent needs to note that writing is a human action that needs complex visual, information processing, and motor skills. A child might be able to read properly and understand verbal guidance. However, he/she might display difficulties in writing. This often includes labor-intensive and slow writing, having a hard time putting their thoughts into writing, and incoherent construction of sentences.
- Difficulties in mathematics– Math is presumed to be one of the most difficult subjects for a child to study. Even the best people tend to struggle with math and numbers. Children with learning problems with math have a very difficult time understanding how numbers relate to one another and work. They often find it hard to understand how the symbols in math work and can also have work problems.
As a parent, it is important for you to never make your own diagnosis. According to Dr. Curtis Cripe, you should always seek help, and the intervention of a qualified professional with proven track records to address your child’s learning disabilities with success.
