| So your child has been diagnosed as having a learning | | | | tolearn the strategies necessary to making the most |
| disability. What's your next move? You may feel | | | | of his or her educational opportunities. The best you |
| disappointed or discouraged, but you need to realize | | | | can do is support your child and have faith in his or |
| that these feelings are temporary and shouldn't be | | | | her perseverance. Even if a particular treatment |
| communicated to your child. While it's important that | | | | option doesn't work, know that there are others |
| you acknowledge your feelings, make sure that you | | | | available and don't give up. Hope that you will find |
| do so with an appropriate person, such as your | | | | one that works for your child. |
| spouse, partner or a close friend, not your child. | | | | 3. Look on the bright side |
| Children have very fragile self-esteem and they tend | | | | Sure, things may look bleak at first, but keep in mind |
| to internalize things, so parents will want to avoid | | | | how lucky you are to have caught the disability when |
| giving their children any sort of negative messages | | | | you did. Some people manage to make it all the way |
| about their learning disability. Otherwise, parents run | | | | to adulthood without knowing that they have a |
| the risk of having their children think that they're | | | | learning disorder, which causes them to experience |
| somehow at fault for their learning problems. A much | | | | unnecessary difficulty in school and at work. You |
| better and more productive way to handle this | | | | should also make sure to communicate to your child |
| situation is to be as positive and nurturing as possible. | | | | that their learning disability is just one aspect of their |
| This is easily accomplished through thefollowing simple | | | | lives. It's not the entirety of who they are, although |
| steps: | | | | it may take considerable time and effort to work |
| 1. Inform yourself | | | | through these issues. Keeping the problem in |
| The more you know about your child's learning | | | | perspective will allow your child to do what's |
| disability, the easier it will be for you to deal with it | | | | necessary to overcome it without being |
| effectively. There are a host of excellent | | | | overwhelmed by the challenge this poses. |
| onlineresources available to parents of children with | | | | 4. Enhance the positive |
| learning disabilities. Along with excellent articles on | | | | Focus on all the things your child can do, rather than |
| everything from treatment options to an | | | | what they're currently unable to. This doesn't just |
| easy-to-understand breakdown of the Individuals with | | | | mean praising what they have no trouble doing, but |
| Disabilities Act (IDEA), these sites feature links tolocal | | | | every step they make along the way in learning how |
| learning disability specialists and support groups. | | | | to work with their disability. Any progress they make |
| 2. Show a little sympathy | | | | should be noted and praised, which will encourage |
| Keep in mind that any frustration you may feel is | | | | them to keep on going. When your child feels like |
| small in comparison to what your child is going | | | | you're backing them, it will be that much easier for |
| through. After all, he or she is the one that has | | | | them to reach their potential. |