Early Warning Signs of LD
Becoming aware of the warning signs of learning disabilities and getting children the necessary help early on can be key to a child's future.
All children learn in highly individual ways. Children with learning disabilities simply process information differently, but they are generally of normal or above-average intelligence. Having a learning disability can affect a child's ability to read, write, speak, do math, and build social relationships.
Preschool Years are Crucial
Parents are encouraged to understand the warning signs of a learning disability from as early as pre-school. The first years in school are especially crucial for a young child. Parents, therefore, need to be familiar with the early indicators of a learning disability in order to get the right help as soon as possible.
Teachers Can Help
Classroom teachers are an invaluable resource for parents in helping to initially identify a suspected learning disability. There are a variety of language and neurological skills that can be assessed informally in the classroom.
Possible observations could include;
- Difficulty in keeping attention during certain age-appropriate activities
- Problems repeating a sound or piece of information after he/she hears it
- Difficulty with sequencing information, math concepts or operations
- Difficulty with following routines
- Poor handwriting
- Difficulty with remembering how a Letter looks like without seeing it.
- Early Indicators of LD
Below are several early warning signs commonly associated with learning disabilities between the preschool years and early primary school. Many young children may exhibit one or two of these behaviours; however, consistent problems with a group of behaviors could indicate a learning disability.
| Preschool |
Early Primary (1-3) |
- Late talking, compared to other children
- Pronunciation problems.
- Slow vocabulary growth, often unable to find the right word.
- Difficulty rhyming words.
- Trouble learning numbers, the alphabet, days of the week.
- Extremely restless and easily distracted.
- Poor coordination & motor planning.
- Trouble interacting with peers.
- Poor ability to follow directions or routines.
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- Slow to learn the connection between letters and sounds.
- Confuses basic words (run, eat, want).
- Makes consistent reading and spelling errors including letter reversals (b/d), inversions (m/w), transpositions (felt/left), and substitutions (house/home).
- Transposes number sequences and confuses arithmetic signs (+, -, x, /, =).
- Slow recall of facts.
- Slow to learn new skills, relies heavily on memorization.
- Impulsiveness, lack of planning.
- Unstable pencil grip.
- Trouble learning about time.
- Poor coordination, unaware of physical surroundings, prone to accidents.
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Reproduced with permission.
Information leaflet available for download via PDF format
Compiled using information from the Coordinated Campaign for Learning Disabilities (CCLD), a collaboration of leading U.S. nonprofit learning disabilities organizations. ©Copyright 1999
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