Signs & Symptoms of Learning Disabilities
Kindergarten to fourth grade:
- Has difficulty reading (unable to make connecting between letters and sound, confuses simple words)
- Consistently makes spelling errors, reverses, inverts letters and numbers
- Reads very slowly and not smoothly
- Confuses math signs
- Difficulty remembering math facts
- Grasp of pencil is not typical or is difficult (tired or sore hand)
- Difficulty learning time
- Poor coordination
Fifth grade to eight grades:
- Does not like to read out loud
- Reading is slow and choppy
- Poor handwriting
- Poor ability to keep and make friends
- Low self-esteem
- I.Q. scores not reflected on report card
- Unorganized with school work
- Slow to grasp concepts
High school
- Avoids reading and writing
- Avoids homework
- Below grade level reader
- Spelling below grade level
- Unable to comprehend instructions or understand written questions
- Unable to keep up with school work, even at lowest ability level for grade
- Difficultly recalling test answers, despite studying them the day prior
- Frustrated with school
The symptoms of learning disabilities are a diverse set of characteristics which affect development and achievement. Some of these symptoms can be found in all children at some time during their development. However, a person with learning disabilities has a cluster of these symptoms which do not disappear as s/he grows older.
Most frequently displayed symptoms:
- Short attention span
- Poor memory
- Difficulty following directions
- Inability to discriminate between/among letters, numerals, or sounds
- Poor reading and/or writing ability
- Eye-hand coordination problems; poorly coordinated
- Difficulties with sequencing
- Disorganization and other sensory difficulties
Other characteristics that may be present:
- Performs differently from day to day
- Responds inappropriately in many instances
- Distractible, restless, impulsive
- Says one thing, means another
- Difficult to discipline
- Doesn’t adjust well to change
- Difficulty listening and remembering
- Difficulty telling time and knowing right from left
- Difficulty sounding out words
- Reverses letters
- Places letters in incorrect sequence
- Difficulty understanding words or concepts
- Delayed speech development; immature speech