Article

When kids are diagnosed with a learning disability we naturallyworry about how it will affect their school performance. What weoften don’t think about, but should, is how having a learningdisability may affect children emotionally.

Not all kids with a learning disability become frustrated, sad,or anxious, but it is pretty common for kids to go through at leastsome period of emotional struggle. It isn’t easy for children whenthey see themselves falling behind their peers at school. Even ifthey pretend that they don’t notice or care, struggling in schoolcan be a demoralizing experience. Here are some signs that kidsmight be struggling emotionally:

Lowered self-esteem

Increased anxiety, particularly in academic situations

Increased sadness or irritability

Acting out

Physical symptoms like headaches or stomach aches

Reduced motivation

Some of the signs, like crying or worrying, can be obvious,while others, like acting out, are more frequently misunderstood.Laura Phillips, PsyD, a neuropsychologist at the Child MindInstitute, explains the dynamic. “Sometimes kids would rather bethe ‘bad’ kid than the ‘dumb’ kid, or they’d rather be the classclown. They’re either trying to divert attention away from theiracademic struggles or they’re trying to have the ‘I don’t care’attitude as a way of saving face.”

In addition to getting kids help for a learningissue—strengthening skills and finding strategies that play totheir strengths—parents should think about the emotional needs of achild. If you see signs that your child is struggling, try tounderstand what specifically is troubling him. Below are the threemost common reasons why kids with a learning disability might feelbad, and what to do about them.

1. Kids think they are “dumb.”

This is a particularly big one during the period before a childhas received a diagnosis. Children often notice if they aren’tlearning at the same pace as the other kids, and can assume it isbecause they just aren’t smart. Unfortunately, kids can keepbelieving they aren’t smart to even after they are diagnosed with alearning disability.

What to do:

Make sure your child understands what a learning disabilityis.“Kids might not know, but by definition, a learning disabilitymeans that a student is of at least average intelligence,”explains Dr. Phillips. In fact, a learning disability is identifiedwhen an expert recognizes that a child is not performing up to hernatural ability in a particular area. Hearing explicitly that alearning disability has nothing to do with intelligence can be verymeaningful to kids.

Talk it through. Ideally you, your child, and whoever is workingwith your child should talk about the learning disability together.Sometimes parents think kids won’t understand, but a learningexpert can help you find developmentally appropriate language touse.

Think about the messages you are sending. Children are verysensitive to their parents’ emotions, and if they sense that youare uncomfortable with their diagnosis, or that you think thathaving a learning disability is a bad thing, they will probablyfeel the same way.

Examine your own feelings. Because learning disabilities inchildren can be genetic, sometimes seeing a child struggling canalso bring back difficult memories for parents, or make them feelguilty. You may want to schedule a separate appointment to discussany questions or concerns you have with your child’s provider. Thebest way to help your child feel more positive is if you startfeeling positive, too.

2. Kids feel like they stick out in class.

The last thing most kids want is to look different from theirfriends. So when kids get pulled out of class for help or called onby the teacher for something they’re afraid they can’t deliver,they may feel embarrassed and singled out. These experiences dayafter day can damage a child’s self-esteem and make her dread goingto school.

What to do:

Ask teachers to be sensitive to how kids are feeling. Dr.Phillips says that she sometimes works with schools to helpteachers understand how a particular student’s learning disabilityis impacting him emotionally. When a child is very anxious aboutreading, for example, she has advised teachers to wait for him toraise his hand and offer to read instead of calling on him blindly.If his teacher needs to assess his oral reading because it’s partof the curriculum, it might be better to do that privately.Students and teachers can also work out a subtle signal the studentcan use when he needs help or feels himself getting toofrustrated.

Single kids out for praise, too. Kids who are struggling inschool may feel like they are mostly getting negative attention.When teachers make a special effort to give kids positive attentionfor the things that they are doing right—even littlethings—it can improve their mood and confidence. Dr. Phillips notesthis is also a powerful technique for teachers to use with a childwho tends to act out to divert attention.

Find the right academic environment. Sometimeskids feel like they stick out because they need more assistancethan they are currently getting. Work with the school and yourchild’s provider to consider what his needs are and if they arebeing met. He may need more accommodations, a different kind ofhelp, or even a change of school. Dr. Phillips notes that there aresome specialized schools that offer remedial support in school aspart of an individualized curriculum rather than making it aseparate after-school activity. These schools may also be betterprepared to support each child’s specific social, emotional, andbehavioral needs.

Question.....

1.Why did you choose this particulararticle?

2.What type of inclusion does this particular articlecover (what kind of support is it giving and to whom)?

3.How could/would you use the information in yourparticular article/video?

4.Have you seen anything like this before? Do you thinkit could be effective in the classroom? Why or whynot?

5.Why should someone else in class review yourarticle?