As children and teenagers approach the school year’s halfway mark, it’s not always clear at first if they are adjusting to new teachers, schedules, and friends or if behaviors that arise are more indicative of an underlying learning problem. To that end, this is the time of year when new learning problems may emerge. If any issues come up with your child’s behavior or performance, it is critical to try to get an early jump on it. Learning problems come in all forms—from reading, writing, and math to attention and behavioral issues—and sometimes it is not entirely clear from the beginning where the problem lies. If you find your child or teen is having trouble keeping up with peers, or if there is a dramatic change in performance or mood, then it’s a good time to investigate.
The best first step is always to try to arrange a meeting with your child’s primary teacher to get a better read on what the main issues are. Although both parents’ and teachers’ schedules are busy, the majority of teachers are happy to figure out a way to talk personally about your child either on the phone or by e-mail—do not wait until the next parent teacher conference. Once the main issues are elucidated, it is important to make a plan and then set a time for reassessment to be sure you are on the right track. Also, it’s a good time to figure out if the teacher thinks your child needs a formal educational assessment. These assessments are designed to figure out if your child may have a behavioral problem or a learning problem. If a learning problem is identified, it may help to figure out where the primary problem is (i.e. reading, math, organization, etc.).
If you are not sure where to start, or you and the teacher are having a difficult time making a plan, your pediatrician is another avenue to jumpstart the process. We can help identify if a 504 plan or individualized education plan (IEP) may be right for your child. A 504 plan is a requirement to provide appropriate accommodations for a child with a learning disability or other issue that is significantly affecting ability to perform in school. An IEP is a team-based approach that creates a plan for individualized educational goals and how to achieve them that serves as a “contract” between the family and the school. Call your pediatrician if you are concerned and let her know your child is having school issues so that you can schedule an appropriate conference with your pediatrician to make a plan.—Paige Perriello
Paige is a general pediatrician practicing at Pediatric Associates of Charlottesville. She is married, with two children.