Red Flags â - Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit
Red Flags â - Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit
Red Flags â - Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit
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SPECIAL NEEDS<br />
LEARNING DISABILITIES<br />
Current research indicates that early appropriate intervention can successfully remediate many<br />
disabilities, particularly those related to reading. The following is a list of characteristics that may point<br />
to a learning disability. Most people will, from time to time, see one or more of these warning signs in<br />
their children. This is normal.<br />
Learning disabilities are related to difficulties in processing information:<br />
►► the reception of information,<br />
►► the integration or organization of that information,<br />
►► the ability to retrieve information from its storage in the brain, <strong>and</strong><br />
►► the communication of retrieved information to others.<br />
If a child exhibits several of the following characteristics consider this a red flag:<br />
Preschool<br />
►► Speaks later than most children<br />
►► Has pronunciation difficulties<br />
►► Slow vocabulary growth, often unable to<br />
find the right word<br />
►► Has difficulty rhyming words<br />
►► Has trouble learning colours, shapes, days<br />
of the week, numbers <strong>and</strong> the alphabet<br />
►► Fine motor skills are slow to develop<br />
►► Is extremely restless <strong>and</strong> easily distracted<br />
►► Has difficulty following directions <strong>and</strong>/or<br />
routines<br />
►► Has trouble interacting appropriately with<br />
peers<br />
School Age<br />
Learning Disabilities are diagnosed by a<br />
psychologist, <strong>and</strong> generally after the child enters<br />
school <strong>and</strong> is learning to read <strong>and</strong> write.<br />
The psychologist will assess:<br />
□□ auditory <strong>and</strong> visual perceptual skills<br />
(underst<strong>and</strong>ing)<br />
□□ processing speed<br />
□□ organization<br />
□□ memory (short <strong>and</strong> long term storage <strong>and</strong><br />
retrieval)<br />
□□ fine motor skills<br />
□□ gross motor skills<br />
□□ attention (focus)<br />
□□ abstractions (interpreting symbolism)<br />
□□ social competence (effective interactions<br />
with others)<br />
WHERE TO GO FOR HELP<br />
See Learning Disabilities in the Where to Go for<br />
Help section at the back of this document.<br />
34 <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Flags</strong>: Early Identification in <strong>Leeds</strong>, <strong>Grenville</strong> & <strong>Lanark</strong> November 2007