Every child learns differently.
It's normal for children to struggle with certain subjects from time to time. However, when challenges are persistent, occur across different settings, or begin affecting a child's confidence and daily life, it may be worth exploring a comprehensive evaluation.
A neuropsychological evaluation does not automatically mean a child has a learning disability. Instead, it helps identify a child's strengths, challenges, and the supports that may help them succeed.
Reading
Reading difficulties can appear in several ways, including problems recognizing words, sounding them out, reading smoothly, or understanding what was read.
Signs to notice:
Has difficulty connecting letters with their sounds
Struggles to sound out unfamiliar words
Reads slowly, hesitantly, or with frequent mistakes
Skips, substitutes, or guesses at words
Has persistent difficulty with spelling
Avoids reading aloud or longer reading assignments
Understands information when it is spoken but struggles when reading it independently
struggles to summarize what is read or make connections with other texts or the world around them
Writing and Spelling
Writing involves several skills at once: handwriting, spelling, sentence construction, organization, memory, and the ability to put ideas into words.
Signs to notice:
Has handwriting that is unusually slow, inconsistent, or difficult to read
Struggles to form letters or keep writing properly spaced on the page
Continues to make frequent spelling errors despite practice
Has strong ideas when speaking but struggles to express them in writing
Writes very short responses to avoid the demands of writing
Has difficulty organizing ideas into a clear beginning, middle, and end
Frequently leaves out words, punctuation, or parts of sentences
Takes much longer than expected to complete written assignments
Math
Math difficulties may involve more than getting the wrong answer. A child may struggle with number sense, remembering facts, understanding symbols, or deciding which steps to use.
Signs to notice:
Has persistent difficulty learning basic math facts
Struggles to understand quantities, number relationships, or place value
Confuses mathematical symbols or operation signs
Has difficulty deciding which operation a word problem requires
Loses track during multi-step calculations
Understands a concept during instruction but quickly forgets how to apply it
Struggles with time, money, measurement, or reading charts
Becomes unusually anxious or frustrated during math work
Attention and Executive Functioning
Executive functioning skills help children begin tasks, organize materials, remember instructions, manage time, and complete their work.
Signs to notice:
Has difficulty starting assignments without repeated prompting
Frequently loses homework, books, or personal belongings
Forgets instructions shortly after hearing them
Struggles to follow directions containing several steps
Has difficulty estimating how long work will take
Starts tasks but does not complete them
Makes frequent careless mistakes even when the material is understood
Becomes overwhelmed by long-term projects
Daydreams, appears not to listen, or is easily distracted
Has difficulty shifting from one task or activity to another
Language and Communication
Language difficulties can affect how a child understands information, expresses ideas, remembers words, and follows classroom discussions.
Signs to notice:
Frequently misunderstands questions or directions
Needs information repeated or rephrased
Has difficulty finding the right word
Struggles to explain events in a clear order
Uses shorter or less detailed sentences than expected for their age
Has trouble learning or remembering new vocabulary
Finds class discussions difficult to follow
Has difficulty understanding jokes, figurative language, or implied meaning
Struggles to organize thoughts when speaking or writing
Memory and Processing
Children use memory and processing skills to take in information, hold onto it, retrieve it, and respond efficiently.
Signs to notice:
Needs much more repetition than expected to learn new information
Forgets material that appeared mastered recently
Has difficulty remembering sequences, directions, or steps
Takes a long time to answer questions or complete familiar work
Struggles to copy information accurately from the board
Becomes overwhelmed when too much information is presented at once
Performs better when given additional time
Understands a concept but cannot retrieve the information during a test