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Before my daughter Michele began attending school, a lady who was babysitting her noticed things she did (or didn't do) that weren't quite right developmentally.

We were fortunate in that the babysitter had had training in early childhood education, and she would work with Michele and her son to help them develop appropriate pre-school skills. She became concerned that Michele struggled with learning her alphabet and her numbers. Her small motor skills - things like using scissors and coloring - weren't up to par. She would overreact to many situations, and she didn't understand jokes because she didn't understand words with different meanings.

We weren't surprised when she was recommended in first grade to be evaluated for a learning disability.

I have taught hundreds of children with learning disabilities, and all of them had different combinations of signs. Some of the younger children just couldn't remember what sound(s) each letter or combination of letters made. Some couldn't figure out what certain numbers added up to, or they couldn't remember their subtraction, multiplication, or division facts, even though they tried and tried to memorize them.

Many of the kids, both younger and older, like Michele, could read words on a page very well, but they had difficulty understanding what they read. Then there were others who had to have help reading the words, but once they read them, they had no trouble understanding. There were some who were great readers and writers, but they had an awful time with Math, and there were some who could do math better than I could, but they had a terrible time with reading.

One thing a majority of them struggled with was organizational skills. They were always losing things - notebooks, pencils, coats, assignments, anything they could possibly lose. Their lockers looked like tornadoes had gone through them. And I heard from the parents that their bedrooms were the same story.

Too many of the students I taught tried to avoid reading and writing because it was so difficult for them. It was a common practice for me to help them read tests because they 1) couldn't read the words, or 2) didn't understand either the question or the multiple choice answers they were given.

Taking notes was always difficult for Michele. She couldn't get the notes from the chalkboard, overhead, or even her textbook onto her paper. She had to have help in her classrooms so she could work around this problem.

Everyone has problems with something. But when these problems interfere with your child's education, and they are not showing the improvement they should be showing, it is time to consider getting him evaluated.

Article Keywords: Special Education

A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to Special Education... 3 Things Every Parent Needs When Raising a Child with Special Needs When I travel by plane I'm always reminded of the "way things are". It is a fact of life that we must care for ourselves before we can effectively care for someone else. That's why flight attendants instruct us before every flight, "position your own oxygen mask before assisting others traveling with you". The lesson: You can't help anyone, if you are incapacitated. So I want to start this series by pointing out some critical things that need to in place for YOU so that you can be an effective parent and advocate for your child with special needs. 1 - A Personal Network of Support Dealing with the emotional turmoil of a new diagnosis is difficult, however it certainly isn't the last emotional strain that you will face as you advocate for your child with special needs. It's important to develop your own ongoing, personal support system. And remember, "Wider is better"! Often just identifying and writing down all the support available to you will help you feel less isolated and more positive. Tip: Consider all of the support options available to you - mentoring by another parent, local support groups, online discussion lists, web-based membership sites and decide which fits your needs and lifestyle the best. Local professionals that can offer support and point you toward available resources include: · Family doctor · Specialist · Physical therapist · Occupational therapist · Speech therapist · Case manager · Parent advocacy trainer · Special education or resource teacher · Inclusion specialist · 504 Coordinator Note: There are literally thousands of discussion lists, forums, newsletters, and experts available on virtually any diagnosis you could name. To find a variety to choose from, just type the following into your...