Dyslexia & Learning Disability Testing
DYSLEXIA & LEARNING DISABILITY TESTING

Does your child have a learning disability?

If your child has consistently struggled in school, particularly if he or she often does well in some subjects but has difficulties in other ones, a learning disability (LD) such as Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, or Dyscalculia, may be the culprit.

Because there are several different types of learning disabilities – each with their own set of signs and symptoms – proper identification can be difficult. Children may also have more than one issue going on, making diagnosis even more complex.

To make matters worse, many children – particularly very bright children – are able to mask or compensate for learning differences for a period of time. Some students can often get all the way through high school or even into college without their underlying learning challenge being recognized.

Going undiagnosed is often risky business. People with undiagnosed learning disabilities are a greater risk for developing anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and a host of other struggles. Some may even drop out of school or of become chronic underachievers, impacting every aspect of their lives and wellbeing.

The good news is that learning disabilities are very treatable, especially when identified early. So if your child is struggling in school it may be time to look into learning disability testing.

SYMPTOMS ASSOCIATED WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES

  • Discrepancy between abilities outside of learning environment and performance in classes. For example, a child with an advanced vocabulary who shows deep understanding of concepts, but is unable to memorize facts

  • Delayed speech development

  • Trouble sounding out words, particularly when this persists into upper elementary school or middle school

  • Missing words or skipping lines when reading – needing to re-read passages

  • Trouble memorizing basic math facts (e.g. multiplication tables)

  • Difficulty telling the time or learning right from left

  • Resistance to a particular subject – e.g. a child who is bright and capable, but resists reading, says “I hate writing,” or has unusual difficulty grasping certain subjects

  • Reading at an advanced level, but failing spelling tests

THE LD/ADHD CONNECTION

In some children, the warning signs of a learning disorder look a lot like ADHD. For example, having a short attention span, having trouble completing or following directions, becoming easily distracted, and trouble with organization can occur with learning disabilities as well as ADHD. What’s more, two out of every three children with ADHD may also have other conditions such as learning challenges.

Unfortunately, ADHD treatment alone doesn’t help address underlying learning disabilities such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, nonverbal learning disorders, and more. So, if your child was previously diagnosed with ADHD and medication isn’t helping their school performance substantially, you might consider learning disability testing.

If this sounds like your child, we're here to help.

If you suspect your child may have a learning disability, simply call us or email to schedule an assessment.  Or, if you'd like more information about learning disability testing and the assessment process, you can schedule a free 20-minute phone consultation with Dr. Lucero.

720-377-3250

[email protected]

HOW DYSLEXIA & LD TESTING FROM PEAK CAN HELP

At PEAK, we specialize in learning differences.  Our dedicated psychologists have many years of experience assessing and identifying learning differences – including dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, and other specific learning disabilities (SLDs). We’ve worked with students from every district in the Denver metro area – and have even helped students from various states across the country.

From elementary students to graduate students and beyond, PEAK’s comprehensive psychoeducational and neuropsychological assessments can help you get to the bottom of your child’s academic struggles – as well as their strengths.  We understand the many complexities involved in proper diagnosis, and dig deep to get to the bottom of your child’s unique learning profile. Working closely we families, school staff and other healthcare professionals, we customize the assessment process to best fit your child’s needs. We don’t stop at the obvious, but look at your child’s learning and thinking abilities from different angles.  This gives you a more complete picture of your child and how they learn best, as well as the concrete strategies to help your child thrive – at school, at home, and in life.

OUR COMPREHENSIVE DYSLEXIA & LEARNING DISABILITY ASSESSMENTS INCLUDE:

Because there are several different types of learning disabilities, PEAK customizes the psychoeducational test battery to address the specific types of struggles your child is experiencing. In general, our Learning Disability assessments include:

  • A detailed parent interview reviewing developmental history, social and emotional issues, medical history, and academic performance.
  • Behavioral observations in the office and, when feasible, in the school setting.
  • Formal cognitive and neuropsychological testing to assess cognitive abilities, learning style, and objective measures of attention, concentration, and processing speed.
  • Academic testing to assess school performance and to determine if underlying learning disabilities are present.
  • Social, emotional, and behavioral assessments look at any other factors that might contribute to learning challenges, including ADHD or anxiety.
  • Self, parent/observer, and teacher questionnaires and/or interviews

When the testing is complete, we’ll develop a detailed report that provides insights into the testing process and helps to translate the scores into actionable recommendations to help you and your family move forward.  Many times, these reports will form the justification needed to pursue an IEP or 504 plan in the educational environment.  They can also offer the information needed to create measurable and research-based goals, as well as helpful accommodations. To complete the process, we’ll schedule a family feedback session to go over the results in details, discuss recommendations, and answer any questions you may have.

Isn’t it time to get your child’s academic performance on track?

Whether you’re ready to schedule an assessment or have questions about the process, we’re here to help.  Simply contact us by phone or email.

To get started with a learning disability evaluation, call us at 720-377-3250 or email us at [email protected].

Please visit our Scheduling page for more information about getting started with testing.