Learning Disorders

Learning Disorder services offered in Newport Beach, Laguna Beach and Dana Point, CA

Learning disorders are incredibly frustrating for children because they have the brain power to do the work but can’t succeed in reading, writing, or math, no matter how hard they try. If you’re concerned about your child’s learning ability, contact us at the Mind Health Institute, Orange County. They complete a thorough psychoeducational evaluation and create treatment recommendations to improve your child’s skills and overcome their learning disorder. Call the office in Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, or Dana Point, California.

Learning Disorders Q & A

What are learning disorders?

Learning disorders affect the way children receive, process, and understand information. These disorders aren’t related to their natural intelligence. Problems arise when genetics or environmental influences affect brain growth and development.

Which types of learning disorders are there?

Your child could have one of the following learning disorders:

Dyscalculia

Children with dyscalculia have difficulty understanding numbers and mastering math problems.

Dysgraphia

Dysgraphia affects fine motor skills, making writing challenging for your child.

Dyslexia

Dyslexia causes reading problems because children can’t associate letters with their sounds, making it challenging to put letters together to form words, spell, and read.

Nonverbal learning disorder

Children with nonverbal learning disorders struggle to recognize and understand body language and nonverbal communication, like facial expressions.

Auditory processing disorder

Auditory processing disorder means children can’t make meaning out of the sounds they hear. Their hearing is fine, but their brain can’t make sense of the information, affecting their ability to understand verbal directions and conversations.

Which signs indicate a learning disability?

These are a few signs parents might notice:

Difficulty learning colors, shapes, letters, and numbers
Difficulty remembering nursery rhymes
Struggling to understand instructions
Asking for information to be repeated
Difficulty learning to spell
Struggling to read or sound out unfamiliar words
Problems finding the right words
Avoiding activities involving reading
Being unable to write or having messy handwriting

Early intervention is essential to help your child overcome their learning disorder and keep up with their school lessons.

How are learning disorders diagnosed?

You can request an evaluation from the school psychologist, seek recommendations from your pediatrician, or request a private psychoeducational evaluation at Mind Health Institute, Orange County.

They schedule several sessions to complete a comprehensive psychoeducational evaluation. They create a detailed treatment plan after identifying your child’s strengths and weaknesses.

How are learning disorders treated?

Children typically get help for learning disorders through special education or educational supports and therapies provided by the school system as part of an individualized education plan (IEP).

School services can include personalized teaching, assistive technology, tutors, and speech, language, or occupational therapy.

Some children with learning disorders need therapy at Mind Health Institute, Orange County, to overcome low self-esteem, emotional and behavioral challenges, and difficulty building friendships.

If you have questions about your child’s symptoms or need to schedule an evaluation, book online or call the nearest office today.