An LD Primer

NETWORK - It’s amazing how many people have children with learning disabilities, but you have to talk about it to find others. Parents who are open about their child’s needs find there is a wealth of information out there, much of it coming from other parents.

RESEARCH - I sat down with a vocabulary sheet provided by my child’s first tutor and started reading. I started with books by Betty Osman and Priscilla Vail and went from there. They taught me the importance of being my child’s advocate. They also allowed me to gain some insight into the pain she would endure and the hurdles she would have to clear. Lately Jonathan Mooney opened my eyes with an insider’s view of the world of learning disabilities.

TRUST YOURSELF - When one of the first tutor’s I interviewed presented me with a set of rules from which there could be no deviation, I balked. Instinct told me that any five year old would have problems with someone that rigid, let alone a child who needed help. We passed and I’ve never been sorry. Tutors, administrators, even authors may sometimes be at odds with your child’s needs. Learn to negotiate. Learn to listen. But most importantly learn to trust your own learned instincts.

BE YOUR CHILD’S ADVOCATE - Even the most well-intentioned school cannot do it all. Establish relationships with administrators and teachers and recognize what you can do to make it easier for them to help your child succeed.

RECOGNIZE REALITIES - It’s a bumpy ride. No child has just one problem and dealing with these problems is not progressive issue. If you’ve always believed that hard work can help you solve a dilemma and enable you to move on. Get past it. Your alma mater may not be interested, your family disbelieving and your friends complacent about the fact their children don’t have any issues. However, in the end, it’s how your child will do in life that really counts.