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New School Year, Same Learning Challenges

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New School Year, Same Learning Challenges? As your student returns for another school year, there’s a familiar feeling in the air: a mix of excitement, hope, and, for many, quiet frustration. While a new academic year often brings fresh supplies, new teachers, and a clean slate, it doesn’t always erase the persistent learning or social challenges your child faced in the past. One mom wrote, “I wish this year would be different and that he could understand social issues so he could respond appropriately as sometimes I think people take advantage of him.”

From difficulty grasping math or reading, to managing time, navigating social interactions, or focusing throughout a taxing school day, many students have the same obstacles year after year. While teachers work hard to support students, their class load is high and the root causes of your child’s struggles often go deeper than a lack of effort. It’s not about ‘trying harder’ or ‘just apply yourself.’

Learning differences, such as ADHD, dyslexia, autism, or social anxiety, can remain undiagnosed or unsupported, leaving students, and you, feeling stuck. Others may continue to struggle which create a gap that widens with each passing year. In some cases, students just manage to get by on their end of year assessments to get promoted. We test students in high school who are identified for the first time. They are smart and hard working so they have compensated for their differences.  It’s been a silent struggle so don’t worry; it’s never too late to test. We even test adults for LSAT accommodations, MCAT accommodations, and licensing board accommodations.

If you are ready for change, a first step is recognizing that repeated learning challenges are a signal that something isn’t working for your child.  My school neuropsychological testing can identify the specific struggles and help you respond with targeted support. That could mean an Individualized Education Plan, accommodation plan, specialized tutoring, counseling, or more.

The new school year may come with the same learning challenges, but it also brings another chance to work with us to give you fresh perspective and better tools. Change doesn’t always come in a big leap. Sometimes, it begins by recognizing the challenge and deciding to face it differently this time.

Call (561) 625 4125 if you would like to discuss your child and your concerns for possible learning disabilities, dyslexia, ADHD, autism, or anxiety.

Four Ways to Approach Your Child’s Reading Problems

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Your child’s reading problems are real life problems since reading is required in all school subjects.  The percentage can vary depending on the specific definition of “reading problems,” but approximately 20% of children have reading problems. This includes conditions like dyslexia and other reading difficulties. There are four ways to approach your child’s reading problems.

First Approach

The least favorable approach is a wait and see approach. Some parents are told statements such as, “Give it more time and she’ll catch on soon.” or “Boys are just slower to read than girls.”  Well intentioned advice can actually cause your child considerable setback.  Kindergarten through second grade is when children concentrate on learning to read but from third grade onward children must read to learn.  Hence, mandatory third grade retention if your child does not pass the high stakes reading testing.

Second Approach

A second approach is for you to work with your child at home. While you might not be a professional teacher, you can teach your child to read by purchasing reading materials.  One parent book is Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons.  You might require your child to use reading websites such as ABC Mouse, Starfall, Raz-Kids, or Nessy. These supports help many children learn to read.

Third Approach

Many parents hire a tutor as a third approach to reading struggles. I recommend one-to-one reading tutoring as the best way to make reading gains.  There are plenty of teachers tutoring after school at libraries, homes, and businesses.  Most schoolteachers tutor use an eclectic approach to teaching reading.

Fourth Approach

Call for school neurological testing when your parental instinct is telling you your child’s struggles are more than developmental and might be dyslexia. In this approach we test for dyslexia and other learning disabilities.  Our testing pinpoints exactly what is causing the struggle so you can provide targeted support rather than try and see support. If it is dyslexia, Florida gives parents money to help with tutoring costs.

Call (561) 625 4125 if you would like to discuss your child’s reading problems or concerns for dyslexia, ADHD, autism, or anxiety.

I Spy Dyslexia

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Intrigue, mystery, unknowns. It’s no wonder that kids love spy games, television shows, and the popular graphic novel series Spy School. Unfortunately for parents, characteristics of intrigue, mystery, and unknowns are concerning when you worry your child might have dyslexia. However, astute, and intuitive parents like you can spy the symptoms of dyslexia. You just need to know what clues to look for.

Spying Dyslexia Clues

Spying clues early and confirming a diagnosis can position you to solve the dyslexia case. Look for these clues.  Elementary age clues:

  • trouble memorizing his address, phone number, or the alphabet
  • can’t create words that rhyme
  • messy handwriting, letters that are formed differently and don’t sit on the line
  • letter or number reversals continuing past first grade
  • slow, choppy, inaccurate reading and mispronouncing small words
  • terrible spelling
  • often can’t remember sight words
  • trouble with math: memorizing multiplication tables
  • extremely messy bedroom, backpack, or desk

Spying Dyslexia Clues in Middle and High School

Middle and high school age clues can encompass the above as well as:

  • dreads going to school
  • limited vocabulary
  • poor written expression
  • problems mastering a foreign language
  • does not like to read for pleasure
  • would rather listen to an audio book than read one

A Hurting Mom

If you observed three or more dyslexia clues in your child, seek school neuropsychological testing. Along with being informative, it can give you peace of mind and direction. As one mom put it, “It hurt to see him struggle. We just need to know so we can move forward.”  She had to convince her husband to agree to testing because he thought the boy was being lazy or needed more time. Our testing is not simply meant to put a label on a child but to help direct you to solve the mystery of why your child is struggling and give support.

Call to discuss your child as we test children ages 5.5 through college for dyslexia, learning disabilities, ADHD, depression, anxiety, and other processing disorders.  Call (561) 625 4125

Palm Beach Dyslexia Testing

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Dyslexia is one type of a learning disability.  There are different types of dyslexia and most children have phonological dyslexia which means they rely upon their visual memory to take a visual picture of a word and have significant difficulty sounding out made up or new unfamiliar words. Their breakdown occurs because of a phonological processing disorder.  This causes reading, spelling, and writing difficulties.

I test children for dyslexia in the Palm Beach area (including Boca Raton, Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, Royal Palm, Wellington, and Delray Beach).  People from all over Florida and various parts of the USA work with me for dyslexia testing. Since I am a state licensed school psychologist my reports are accepted by most schools. Most public school do not test children for dyslexia. In fact, public schools seem to have cut back on the services they provide. Parents that want public testing usually wait at least four to six months. I find this unacceptable because then the child falls further behind. I test children using a customized battery of tests that tells me if there is dyslexia and the best reading program for you to use.

Some of the dyslexia tests I use include reading tests where the child reads aloud for accuracy, speed, and comprehension.  I also use silent reading tests, reading made up words, identifying letter and sound relationships, spelling real and made up words, auditory discrimination, auditory memory, visual memory, visual-spatial thinking.  An important test is one that assesses your child’s phonological processing.  This battery takes about four hours and is priced about the same as a reasonably priced leather couch.  After dyslexia testing you know if your child has dyslexia and the best reading program to use to help your child.

If your child has dyslexia and needs specialized dyslexia teaching, the Barton Reading and Spelling System ( Read a Reading Research summary )is one of the best to use and there are dyslexia tutors in the Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, and Stuart area using this, and other good reading programs. If you reside outside of Florida there are dyslexia tutors in every state using specialized reading instruction for kids with dyslexia.

Dyslexia testing helps you because then you don’t wonder about how to help your child and just do a hit and miss approach to help your child. Time is too valuable. Your child may already be turned off to reading or be feeling dumb. Don’t waste time. My process takes two to three weeks. Start now.

If you are in south Florida and the Palm Beaches, call me to discuss dyslexia testing for your child. The testing investment can help positively change the course of their life. Call today.