How Are Learning Disabilities Diagnosed?

There are many different types and forms of learning disabilities, and that being the case, each one really needs to be diagnosed in its own separate way.

First we will examine the ways in which you might go about finding out if your child really does have a learning disability. One of the things you should do is to talk with your family doctor about it. Presumably this is someone who has been seeing your child on occasion for a number of years, and may be in an excellent position to note if your child's development or maturity is hampered in a noticeable way, relative to other children of the same age group that this doctor treats on a regular basis. Your doctor may even suggest that you bring the child in for a quick examination, and you can learn a lot from a trained medical professional that you trust.

You should also speak with your child's teacher at school. Explain what you saw at home that may have been a sign or symptom and ask if the teacher has noted anything else that may substantiate your concerns.

In either case, if there are concerns or signs noted, both or either may refer you to a specialist to look into the problem from a more in-depth perspective. The specialists in this area can carry out tests and make a more expert diagnosis. The types of specialists who would be involved in diagnosing a child with learning disabilities would include:

1. Clinical psychologist.

2. School psychologist.

3. Educational psychologist.

4. Neuropsychologist.

5. Psychometrist.

6. Occupational Therapist (these will test for sensory disorders which can lead to learning problems).

Each of these different types of specialists can assess your child's strengths and weaknesses by administering a number of different tests. Some of the test will be written while others will be oral questions or a simple conversation with the child. The parent will also be asked a number of questions relating to the history and details of the problems which are being noted to allow the specialist to get as much insight into the problem as possible.

Early diagnosis of any learning disability is important and as soon as you as a parent feel there may be a problem. The earlier a diagnosis is made, the more steps can be taken to correct the problem or at least minimize its effects to the extent possible. There are some types of learning disabilities which if caught early enough have a very good prognosis and the right type of intervention can even change the way the brain functions.

If the disorder is more with speech and language disorders, the child will work with a speech therapist who will test the child's pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar. These test results are then compared to the developmental abilities that would be seen in other children of the same age. The role of a psychologist is test the child's intelligence level, against comparing against what would be considered normal levels with other children of the same age group, allowing of course for variations with an acceptable range.

In the cases of academic learning disorders such as reading, writing and mathematics, the child will be tested and evaluated using a standardized test. Studies have shown that often the child's hearing and vision should be tested in order to ensure that the child can both see and hear the words clearly. You must remember that the treatment for any learning disabilities is very different from that given for a child with poor vision or hearing or that they have just missed a few days of school. The tests performed by the psychologist will be doing more than just measuring vision and hearing, but will go further to also explore the areas related to that, especially memory, comprehension, and retention.

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