You may have noticed other indications at home but thought they were just “kid things”. If you ask your child to do 2 or 3 things in a row, does he forget most of them? When you ask him a question, does he have difficulty expressing answer? Is his room always disorganized? Does he have trouble socially?

These are some of questions you might want to think about as you talk with teacher and ask if she notices them in classroom.

It is important you realize that by doing this, you are not putting your child down or complaining about him or labeling him as a “bad kid”. You are discussing facts of what is actually going on, or not going on, with his learning. You are acting in his best interest.

Do not hesitate to ask questions about anything you don’t understand. The teachers will not think that you are stupid or inadequate The area of Learning Disabilities can be very confusing and overwhelming to anyone. It is best that you understand what is going on right from beginning.

When teachers have explained symptoms to your satisfaction, then it is time to find out what will happen from here. Ask specific questions about testing, how best to address your child’s concerns and how to minimize any “stigma” your child might experience as a result of being tested.

Remember, you are parent. And everyone is here to help your child.

For more up-to-date plain talk about learning disabilities, please visit us at www.ldperspectives.com.

"...as well as a processing deficit."

The next thing evaluator looks at is a "processing deficit". The term "processing" refers to way your child's brain works. Can his brain handle information better through what he sees (visual channel) or through what he hears (auditory channel). Can he remember a list of 4 or 5 things, or does he forget them quickly? How well does he find information he has stored in his head? How quickly can he process information?

A deficit in processing means that he has trouble with one of ways his brain handles information.

Now, let's put it all together:

"There has to be an aptitude-achievement discrepancy..." The evaluator has found a big gap between your child's ability (100) and his achievement (60) in reading. That tells you that he hasn't learned what he needs to learn in order to be successful in reading.

"...as well as a processing deficit." The evaluator has found that he has a real problem remembering letters and sounds. And what is more necessary in order to learn to read than remembering letters and their sounds?

Now you know that he should be able to read like other children in his class, but his brain isn't remembering letters and their sounds way it should. That's what's standing in way of his being able to read as well as other children.

Chances are team will decide that your child has a learning disability in reading and that he is eligible for special education services. He will be able to get extra help from a special teacher. There will be things you can do with him at home to help him as well. He will be able to receive help from people who know what will work best for him and who care enough to give him skills he needs to be successful in life.

For more plain talk about learning disabilities, please visit us at www.ldperspectives.com.