Help! My Child is Struggling with Reading! Writing! Math!

Our society values education.  It sets children up for success later in life, regardless of their career path.  But what happens when a child is struggling academically?  This is hard for everyone involved, especially the student.  Parents must work together with educators, and sometimes professionals, to find solutions to the learning mystery.

When can spot learning challenges?  The curiosity of child development is that not all children progress at the same rate – that is normal.   Teachers are often the first to pick up on a learning problem, and they have the benefit of the rest of their class as a reference point.  Every child can go through struggles with the curriculum.  The following questions can help parents know whether to seek out additional consultation:

What is not going well – a particular subject or skill? 

How long has the problem been there? 

Has there been sufficient dialogue amongst parents and teachers about the problem?  What has been tried to improve the situation, at home and at school?  Has the intervention helped?

Sometimes we need to give children time to develop, and give those who support them time to attempt an early intervention.  Schools, for example, often have programs for children in younger grades to help target certain skills, like reading.  If you have questions regarding your child’s learning, talk to your child’s teacher or the school special education teacher.  Child psychologists can provide psychoeducational assessments that will help you understand how your child learns best and provide recommendations helpful to schools and families.  Parents can use this knowledge to ensure that their child has every opportunity to learn to their full potential. 

Editorial provided by Dr. Paulo Pires, C. Psych. & Dr. Shonna John, C. Psych. Halton Psychologists

Published on www.schoolsoutonline.com