Learning Disabilities & Difficulties

Identifying LDs

How to spot the signs and get help

Early signs & symptoms

• Detecting learning problems in your child
• What I wish I had known
• Preschool signs and symptoms of an LD
• Kindergarten signs and symptoms of an LD
• First- and second-grade signs of an LD
• Third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade signs of an LD
• Signs of an LD in middle and high school
• Bait-and-switch symptoms

LD basics

• Learning disabilities: An overview
• Math disability in children: An overview
• Specialists in the field of learning and attention problems

Evaluating for an LD

• Evaluation: An overview
• Questions to ask specialists who evaluate for learning disabilities
• Helpful assessments for struggling young readers
• The long and winding testing road

Child development

• Developmental milestones: Ages 3 through 5
• Developmental milestones: Your 6-year-old child
• Developmental milestones: Your 7-year-old child

Beyond the Classroom

How to manage your child's life beyond the classroom walls

Talking about LD

• Helping your child understand LD
• What kids say about living with learning disabilities
• Talking with family about your child's learning disability
• Disabilities through a child's eyes

Extracurricular activities

• Success outside of school
• Summer activities for kids with LD: Making wise choices
• Helping your child find a passion: One mother's story

Evaluating products & services

• Buyer beware: Evaluating products and services for your child
• The myth of a quick fix for learning disabilities
• Is there a cure for LD?
• Finding local resources when your child has LD or AD/HD

Emotional Well-Being

How to boost your child's self-esteem

Behavior & discipline

• Parent coaching for children with AD/HD and learning disabilities
• Helping kids with AD/HD behave during the holidays
• Reinforcing small changes in your child's behavior

Social skills

• Learning difficulties and social skills: What's the connection?
• Helping kids with AD/HD behave during the holidays
• Nurturing social competence in a child with learning disabilities

Emotional & psychological health

• Learning disabilities and psychological problems: An overview
• How parents can help children who are anxious
• Research results: Depression in children with learning disabilities
• Bullying and disabled kids
• ACLU: Teachers abuse kids with disabilities
• Demi Lovato vs. bullies

Home Life

How to create a support system for your family and LD child

Parent survival strategies

• Survival tips for parents
• Preparing the babysitter for success
• Anne Ford's memoir: The pain and joy of raising a child with LD

Supporting family members

• Talking with family about your child's learning disability
• Learning disabilities and sibling issues
• "Can't we all just get along?": Three moms on surviving family gatherings

Financial issues & taxes

• Tax benefits for parents of children with LD -- 2009 update
• Financial aid for students with LD: Guides and resources
• Financial help for parents of kids with LD and AD/HD

School & Learning

Resources and tips for homework, parent-teacher communication, and special education

Academic skills

• Ways to support your struggling reader
• Literacy programs for high schoolers
• When you love to read, but your child doesn't

Working with the school

• Online classes: A choice for your middle or high schooler?
• Considering homeschooling for a child with LD or AD/HD
• Finding schools for kids with LD
• What makes an LD dream school?

Special education & IEPs

• Special education evaluation: An overview
• Special education: A practical primer
• What is an IEP?

Legal rights & advocacy

• Understanding special education laws and rights
• Mom turned advocate still honors her roots
• Questions to ask attorneys or advocates about education issues

Preparing for life after high school

• Declaration of independence: Developing life skills for teens with LD
• Is there life after high school? A primer for teens with learning disorders
• College planning for students with learning issues
• Graduating to real life

AD/HD & Other Issues

Understanding how AD/HD is diagnosed and ways to support your child

Diagnosing AD/HD

• Questions to ask professionals who diagnose or treat AD/HD
• What's the best way to diagnose AD/HD?
• Does your child have AD/HD or something else?

Managing AD/HD

• Managing AD/HD with medication: An overview
• Helping kids with AD/HD behave during the holidays
• Management strategies for parents: AD/HD
• Championing children's success
• Parent picks: Great books on AD/HD

Other disorders

• Autism: An overview
• Understanding Asperger's syndrome
• Nonverbal learning disabilities
• Parent picks: Great books on dyscalculia
• Parent picks: Great books on central auditory processing disorder
• Parent picks: Great books on dyspraxia

Reading & Writing Difficulties

What you need to know about reading and writing problems

Reading difficulties & dyslexia

• Dyslexia: An overview
• Defining dyslexia: A modern dilemma
• Early signs of a reading difficulty
• Parent picks: Great books on dyslexia

Writing difficulties

• Writing disabilities: An overview
• Dysgraphia: Learning disabilities in writing

Assistive Technology

How LD kids can benefit from technology

• Assistive technology for kids with LD: An overview
• Matching assistive technology tools to individual needs
• Assistive technology tools: Reading
• Assistive technology tools: Writing
• Assistive technology tools: Math
• Assistive technology tools: Listening
• Assistive technology tools: Organization and memory