It’s a fact! Early diagnosis and intervention for children showing early signs of learning disabilities have a positive effect on behavior and learning skills now… and into the future.
How early is “early?” The time to provide early intervention should occur while a child’s brain is still “plastic” (neuroplasticity) and changeable. The magic number is anywhere from 2 to 3 years old.
So, let’s focus on early intervention to give children the best start possible. First… let’s look at certain behaviors and common signs of learning disabilities. They include:
- Reversing or mixing up or letters
- Jumbled up sentences in speech
- Difficulty with numbers, symbols, or math problems
- Trouble clearly expressing ideas in writing
- Struggling to remember key bits of information and facts
- Lack of focus when working on tasks
- Difficulty paying attention in class
Why Early Intervention Matters
Without early intervention, bright and engaging young children tend to become negative, anxious, and despondent. The next sign, often reported by parents, is that the child will begin complaining about being too sick to go to school.
According to a study published in the Journal of Pediatrics in November 2015, students with learning difficulties often fall into a long term ‘learning gap’ that persists into adolescence.
Learning difficulties have cumulative effects, hurting academic achievement and emotional and behavioral development, year after year.
However, with the right early intervention, learning strategies, and support, positive results can be quickly achieved and maintained over the long term.
As well as helping school performance, early action also reduces emotional problems associated with failures, such as anxiety and depression.
What Does A Comprehensive Learning Assessment Look Like?
A comprehensive learning assessment is an important discovery process because it reveals the answers to these four key questions:
- What are the specific problems with the child’s underlying learning and processing skills?
- What level are they are currently achieving at with their academic skills? (Compared with what is expected for their age and year level.)
- What might they be potentially capable of achieving?
- Which learning strategies and interventions are likely to be most helpful at school and at home?
Is It Too Late To Help My Child?
If you did not have the opportunity to provide early intervention for your child, don’t throw in the towel yet.
Children up to the age of 7 can still benefit from early interventions because these programs help children with thinking, social, emotional, physical, and communication skills.
Early Intervention Strategies
Physical Therapy
Nutrition
Speech Therapy
Family Dynamics
Hearing/Vision
The right intervention definitely alters the course of development. Let’s help our children have the best possible chance to reach their full potential and shine
