Warning Signs of a Learning Disability

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There is no single sign that shows a person has a learning disability. Experts look for a noticeable difference between how well a child does in school and how well he or she could do, given his or her intelligence or ability. There are also certain clues that may mean a child has a learning disability. We've listed a few below. Most relate to elementary school tasks, because learning disabilities tend to be identified in elementary school. A child probably won't show all of these signs, or even most of them. However, if a child shows a number of these problems, then parents and the teacher should consider the possibility that the child has a learning disability.

When a child has a learning disability, he or she may exhibit the following characteristics.

• Have trouble learning the alphabet, rhyming words, or matching letters to their sounds
• Make many mistakes when reading aloud, and repeat and pause often
• Not understand what he or she reads
• Have real trouble with spelling
• Have very messy handwriting or hold a pencil awkwardly
• Struggle to express ideas in writing
• Learn language late and have a limited vocabulary
• Have trouble remembering the sounds that letters make, or in hearing slight differences between words
• Have trouble understanding jokes, comic strips, and sarcasm
• Have trouble following directions
• Mispronounce words or use a wrong word that sounds similar
• Have trouble organizing what he or she wants to say or not be able to think of the word needed for writing or conversation
• Not follow the social rules of conversation, such as taking turns, and may stand too close to the listener
• Confuse math symbols and misread numbers
• Not be able to retell a story in order (what happened first, second, third)
• Not know where to begin a task or how to go on from there