During childhood it is common for children to experience difficulties in learning certain things. Normally, this depends largely on the habits and interests of each child, but in some cases it happens that children’s difficulties in learning some content are so significant that they are unable to master the basics of the subject.

In this article we will see how to help a child with learning difficulties , to overcome his or her limitations and learn new ways of solving problems. We’ll go through a list of tips to help young people with these kinds of problems, as well as reviewing what it takes to experience these difficulties.

What are learning disabilities?

To better understand how to help a child with learning disabilities, it is necessary to know what causes this psychological phenomenon. Learning disabilities encompass a diversity of academic difficulties in different areas , which affect children not only academically, but also in a personal way.

There are children who find it easier to do a mathematical equation than to write a text, and there is nothing extraordinary about that. But when we realize that the child presents excessive difficulties in carrying out academic, numerical or linguistic activities, we may be in the presence of some learning problem.

When the child has not mastered the knowledge of some area of knowledge, even when he or she has reached an age when he or she should be able to perform such activities , then parents or caregivers should take the child to a behavioral professional (psychologist, educational psychologist) to determine exactly what is happening.

In conclusion, we can say that learning problems represent intense academic difficulties, which affect the lives of children in various aspects of their lives.

Now let’s see what some of the most common difficulties are.

1. Dysgraphia

Dysgraphia is a learning disorder characterized by complications in writing any type of symbols, such as letters and numbers. It does not involve spelling errors, but only the inability to write in an orderly and understandable manner.

2. Dyscalculia

Dyscalculia implies having great difficulties when faced with numerical activities, even the most elementary ones . For example, children with this learning problem are incapable of carrying out the necessary procedures to carry out a basic mathematical equation.

3. Dyslexia

Dyslexia is an alteration in reading ability in which the child confuses letters and numbers thus altering the meaning of words, even when writing them. For example, exchanging a “b” for a “d”, or a “p” for a “q”, etc.

Attempting to help children with learning disabilities of this kind involves teaching them reading guidelines that will allow them to read more quickly without making mistakes.

4. ADHD

In Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) he understands a difficulty in trying to stay focused and attentive in almost any situation, especially in the classroom . It is easy to detect children with this learning problem because they are quite restless.

How to help children with learning disabilities?

The above are just some of the more common learning disorders; some of these may occur in combination with others, meaning that a child may have symptoms of several learning disorders at the same time. In ADHD, it usually causes problems with reading, writing, and solving equations.

Below is a list of tips for helping children with learning disabilities.

1. Know the child’s disability in depth

The more knowledge we have about the child’s problem, the easier it will be for us to help them overcome their situation. It is important to understand why it is difficult to avoid judging the child and labeling him/her as incapable, which is counterproductive.

2. Knowing the rights of the child in depth

To the extent that we know more about children’s rights to schooling, we can seek the best alternatives for them to overcome their learning problems without this representing a painful or traumatic experience. In the schools there are trained professionals who have the duty to attend to these cases.

3. Working together with teachers

It is important to establish a network with the teachers in order to be able to cover more widely the learning process of the children . The teacher will be in charge of letting the child’s representative know exactly what the difficulties are, and the parents or carers should give the necessary attention at home, following the advice of the professionals.

4. Focus on strengths

The most advisable thing to do in any case of learning problems is to focus on the child’s strengths and make them known to him/her , so that he/she does not feel minimized by his/her difficulties.

The idea is that the young person will be able to identify his or her strengths and be able to promote them and be proud of them.

5. Be patient with the child

Learning disabilities can be managed so that their symptoms do not impede young children’s learning progress, and children are able to succeed academically as long as these difficulties are well managed.

But it is important to remember that the process takes time , and we must be patient with the children, we must not expect quick or miraculous results.

6. Talking to other parents

A good way to find support is to have contact with other parents who have children with this type of problem . Establishing relationships with people who are dealing with the same thing as us is always useful for expressing one’s concerns and asking for advice, and we can learn new methods for dealing with the situation.

Bibliographic references:

  • García, J. N. (1998) (3rd ed. rev.). Manual of learning difficulties. Madrid: Narcea.