Is It Possible for Children to Outgrow their Learning Disorders?

Has your child been diagnosed with a learning disorder? Disappointing, right? As a parent, it is okay to feel that way, and get worried about your child’s future, wondering whether they will grow and attain their goals like normal kids.

You see, you have the right to be worried, considering that a learning disorder is not a one-time occurrence. The disorder often manifests itself in a child’s early schooling years, accompanied by many challenges, including ADHD, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, and dyslexia.

However, this doesn’t prevent your child from having a normal life. According to Angela Dewey, neuropsychologist and a PhD holder, the right strategies and support from the parents can help a child thrive in life. This way, children diagnosed with the disorder learn to live with the problem and get the courage to cope with it.

The most important thing for us parents is to remember this always – learning disorders don’t make our kids less intelligent. It is just an indication that their brains process information in a different way.  In addition, we have to reassure our kids that they can still excel both psychologically and academically. All they have to do is to face those challenges and use several learning strategies.

How the Disorder Evolves with Time

As a child grow, the challenges they face evolve or change, too, mostly contributed by the severity and specific nature of the condition. Maintaining effective communication is key to helping your child know what to expect from the disorder as they grow older. For instance, a child with an auditory processing problem can face more problems in high school because of greater independence and more academic demands. But on the brighter side, a few things might become much easier as they understand their situation and helpful coping strategies better.

Why Intervene Early?

Detecting and treating the problem early is crucial for supporting your child’s mental health and academic achievement. The right tools will depend on the disorder’s degree and nature, but medical experts can teach your kid strategies for strengthening their capabilities, especially in the areas they struggle the most, and use their strengths to their advantage. As Rachel Ganz puts it, the earlier you understand your child’s struggles, the earlier you will give them support. For instance, if your child is suffering from dyslexia, they can benefit a lot from remedial reading programs that help to develop reading fluency and academic skills as they grow.

Supporting Our Kids with their Emotional and Academic Needs

Most kids with learning problems have low self-esteem, especially if the conditions got misdiagnosed for many years. Forcing such kids to hang out with their peers can be frustrating, making them perform poorly academically and avoid socializing. Instead of doing that, we need to provide our kids with solid emotional support, not just at home but everywhere. Try to talk to them about their disorder to ensure they learn how to cope with the problem. Also, provide them with the right learning materials and make the effort to ensure they feel at ease to ask for help whenever they are doing their homework.

The bottom line is that it is crucial to help our kids know they have some sort of superpowers, regardless of their condition. This way, they will understand their disorders better and cope with them to live a normal life.