Posts

Why is My Child So Slow?

/in /by

My Child is So Slow! By Megan Weiss, Ed.S. NCSP.

Eve’s nickname is “Eeyore” one parent told me.  She was feeling frustration when dealing with her child completing tasks slower than everyone else. Whether it was doing homework, completing simple household chores, or getting out the door in the morning, Eve was slow or the last one to go.  It required constant reminders and mom felt like she was always nagging.  She hypothesized her daughter was perhaps lazy, unmotivated, or did not understand what to do.  But what really perplexed this mom was that Eve was slow regardless of if the activity was something fun or routine. It could be getting ready for a fun day at the waterpark and she was still slow.

Why is my Child So Slow?

There are many reasons why a child is completing tasks at a much slower pace than their peers.

  • One reason is your child could have slower processing speed so even simple tasks will take them longer to complete. This can leave your child feeling overwhelmed, mentally fatigued, and discouraged.
  • Second, your child could have a weak working memory and struggle to keep track of the tasks they are assigned and often forget what to do next. This can especially be noticed if you give your child multiple tasks at once.
  • Third, your child may have weaker inhibition which means that they have a hard time resisting distractors. Your child could be cleaning their room and find something they misplaced and become distracted playing with this and not cleaning up.
  • Fourth, your child might have ADHD, Predominantly Inattentive Presentation or what we used to call ADD.

What Could I Do?

Seek answers and understanding so you can do something different instead of becoming frustrated with your child and straining your relationship. A school neuropsychological evaluation will help you get to the root cause of why your child completing tasks so slowly. Our evaluations assess all of these potential causes and provide specific and helpful recommendations to improve your child’s functioning in the home and school settings.

Call us (561) 625 4125 to discuss your child and your needs.

When Kids Struggle

/in /by

Up to 20 percent of kids struggle to learn.  Reading is the academic area where most kids struggle followed by writing.  If you have a child that struggles in school then you know first hand how frustrating it is for your child.  Because of your child’s struggles you might call him or her names like lazy, unmotivated, or difficult.  Most schools are not equipped to effectively deal with kids that struggle.  Kids make some progress but not enough to overcome their difficulties.  So, what are parents to do? 

There are some good books parents can read to help their child.  Here are a few suggestions.  Overcoming Dyslexia by Sally Shaywitz, The Motivation Breakthrough by Rick Lavoie, Winning With People by John C. Maxwell, and The New Dare to Discipline by James Dobson. 

I also recommend an evaluation for your child because this process determines if there is a learning disability, information processing disorder, or other subtle issue that is the underlying problem.  Most kids and teens do not want to go to school and struggle.  When they struggle, battle with homework, argue, stress, and stomach aches and headaches increase you know there are real issues.  If you see these warning signs then consider having me evaluate your child.  You can find out what is going with your on for about the cost of a new set of tires and you’ll get a lot more mileage from helping your child.  Having answers can give you an action plan for your child and peace of mind for you.