Rise and Shine shared that there are many potential reasons for problems at school, but one of the primary reasons is learning disabilities, both those already diagnosed as well as undiagnosed ones. Here’s what to do if you think your child has a learning disability.

What is a learning disability?

Almost 1 in 10 children have a learning disability, making it a very common occurrence. A learning disability is defined as lower academic performance than would be expected based on intellectual ability and opportunities to learn. There is a wide variation in how people process, retain and use the information and for some, these differences can cause difficulty in school.

While individual differences are to be celebrated and some of the most successful individuals in our history have had learning disabilities (including Michael Phelps, Thomas Edison, President John F. Kennedy, and entrepreneur and billionaire Richard Branson), learning disabilities, particularly those undiagnosed and untreated, can lead to serious school problems, low self-esteem and high drop-out rates.

Kids with undiagnosed learning disabilities often start thinking of themselves as “stupid” or “lazy” and stop trying at school in order to avoid continued failure. Finding out there is a label for what they are experiencing and getting the help they need can be life-changing for these youngsters. Early identification and intervention are very important for school success and mental health.

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