Your child’s homework struggles, learning frustrations and poor academic performance can be trying on the whole family. If your child exhibits these common signs of a learning disorder and it’s been determined that intervention is necessary, the next step is to find help to manage these struggles. Identifying the right resources can be a challenge, as there are so many therapies and programs available.
Diagnosing a Learning Disability
Whether you hire a tutor, seek an individualized education program (IEP) through school or try other therapies, it’s important to first understand your child’s unique struggles. In today’s academic climate, it’s not always easy to get a proper diagnosis. As you begin the process of addressing your child’s specific learning issues, you may find that you’re not always supported. Your concerns may be minimized or you may be told that your child will eventually catch up. In these cases, trust your gut and get help early. You know your child better than anyone, and you are your child’s best advocate in identifying the proper resources.
You may want to consider using our online assessment tool as a starting point for helping your child. For a more comprehensive assessment, contact a professional or schedule a free consultation with a local Brain Balance Center. Our comprehensive assessment is an objective and quantifiable measurement of each area of function - consisting of sensory, motor, and academic testing of more than 900 functions. The testing results will give you insight into your child’s functional strengths and weaknesses so that you can better pinpoint the areas that your child needs the most help.
Managing Learning Frustrations
Help your child to better manage their learning frustrations on their own using the following tips:
- Take a Break: If your child is becoming frustrated with a particular problem or assignment, have him or her take a break and come back to it later. Little can be accomplished while in a frustrated or anxious state.
- Ask Questions: Many kids don't want to call attention to their inability to understand schoolwork. Make sure your child has the opportunity to ask the teacher questions privately if necessary.
- Technology as a Tool: If your child is stuck on a certain problem and you don't have an answer, look to the internet for help. There are many online resources that can help to explain an assignment. In fact, many teachers provide links at the beginning of the year to help your child learn from home.
Parent Support
Encouragement is key. The best way you can help your child work through academic struggles and learning frustrations is to continue to encourage through positive reinforcement. Remind your child of his or her strengths and focus on successes. The following tips will help you to better support your child as he or she overcomes learning challenges.
- Be an Advocate: While it's important to empower your child to take the lead, it's important that he or she knows you're ready to advocate on his or her behalf. Keep lines of communication open with both your child and the school so you can step in and help when necessary.
- Be Knowledgable: Continue to educate yourself about the various learning disorders and therapies available. The more you know the better you can align the proper resources to help your child.
- Stay Positive: Your child will take your lead. The more positive your approach to getting help, the better the outcome will be. Set the example for your child so that he or she will view the learning disability optimistically as just another challenge to overcome versus an impossible feat.
Your support can go a long way to help your child maintain a strong sense of self-worth, increase confidence, and develop determination to persevere even when things are difficult.
Finding Help for Learning Disabilities
At Brain Balance, we’ve long contended that a functional disconnection in communication between and within the two hemispheres of the brain is the root cause of learning disorders. Thanks to neuroplasticity of the brain, the brain is able to form new connections and generate new brain cells in response to experience and learning thereby allowing for improvement of hemispheric communication.
If your child is having difficulty learning to read and write or appears to have marked issues with motor development, we invite you to consider the Brain Balance Program.
If your child struggles with learning or has been diagnosed with a Learning Disorder, contact us online or find a center near you to learn more about how the Brain Balance Program can help.
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