Life Success for Children With Learning Disabilities

Children with learning disabilities grow up to be adults with learning disabilities. That is, many of the difficulties experienced in childhood continue into and through adulthood. Nevertheless, some individuals with learning disabilities follow a life path that leads them to success, becoming productive members of society and living satisfying and rewarding lives. Others find little more than continued "failure," and are barely able to "keep their heads above water" emotionally, socially, or financially.

Why, despite similar backgrounds and learning problems, does one individual end up with a rewarding career, long-term friendships, and financial stability, yet another, a life of loneliness, isolation, and financial stress?

Success Attributes
Research has shown that a set of personal characteristics, attitudes, and behaviors can help lead persons with learning disabilities to successful life outcomes. In this free, easy-to-use guide for parents, The Frostig Center of Pasadena, California has identified the following “success attributes” and offers recommendations for how to help children develop them. They are:

• self-awareness;
• proactivity;
• perseverance;
• goal-setting;
• the presence and use of effective support systems; and
• emotional coping strategies.

How Can a Child Develop Success Attributes?
Fostering these six success attributes is one of the ways that parents can help their children with learning disabilities grow up to be more successful throughout their lives. These attitudes, behaviors, and characteristics require exercise, practice, and review just like any other skill children learn. At different life stages, new developmentally appropriate challenges may require parents to recycle and revisit with their children the success attributes they had worked on earlier.

To date no research tells us exactly how to teach these attributes. Yet, research does suggest a number of key components and areas that need to be considered in fostering success attributes in children with learning disabilities. The guide discusses these components and areas, and offers recommendations for how to develop success attributes. The specific approach to developing these attributes is dependent upon the age, abilities, experience, interests, and living environment of a given child.

Based on more than 20 years of research, Life Success for Children with Learning Disabilities: A Parent Guide  has the end goal of helping children become competent, content, and independent adults who reach their full potential and lead satisfying lives.

Adapted from the Frostig Center’s “Life Success for Children with Learning Disabilities: A Parent Guide.”  

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Reprinted with permission from the National Center for Learning Disabilities, Inc. All rights reserved.