1. health and fitness
2. disorders

A Newton’s Path™
Solution Document
Identifying and Treating
Learning Disabilities in Your Child
Part I of Newton’s Path™ to:
Get Started Getting Help
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IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM
If you think your child may have learning disabilities or challenges, your mind is likely flooding
with questions: “How do I figure out what these challenges are? Can they be solved or
managed? Who can I turn to in order to get them the help they need?” You are ready to take
action, but may be overwhelmed and unsure where to begin. This Solution Document, along
with the others in this Path will help provide the answers you need to quickly and effectively
identify potential problems, get the professional help you need, and help your child become
happier and more successful in their education and related activities.
There’s no better time than the present to take action if you have come to suspect that your
child has a learning challenge or impairment. We’ll begin by looking at the prevalence of these
issues. They are more common than you think, and it’s important to remember you are not
alone in facing them! We’ll continue by giving you an overview of general problem areas, to
help you feel more confident in identifying the issues your child is facing. Ultimately, this will
help target the right professional assessments and evaluations your child needs, and who to get
this help from.
Strong communication is another key factor in these initial stages. You’ll find tips on how to
communicate what is happening to your child and others, coping with those who may disagree
with your approach or plan of action (including spouses or significant others), and even
ensuring your own well-being in this process. Finally, included is some basic information on
finding local resources to help you, links to worksheets, and more in-depth answers to
important questions that can accelerate and improve your efforts. You’ll come away feeling
more confident about the process and be able to deliver the best possible results to your child.
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WHAT IS A LEARNING DISABILITY?
Learning disabilities (LD) and learning challenges affect more people than you might think. It
should come as a comfort to know you are not the only family dealing with this issue. While LD
occurs in a minority of our population, only 1.8%, it represents an affliction that affects more
than 4.6 million people in the United States alone1. 13.1% of individuals, age 3 to 21, who were
served by federal education programs were described as having disabilities and impairments
that affected their learning2. In fact, that number may be much higher. Consider that there are
many more conditions that negatively impact learning and performance that are not technically
listed as LDs, as defined by federal law. We refer to those as learning challenges.
For example, Social Anxiety Disorder, which can provide a constant challenge to a child in a
learning environment, usually begins in childhood around age 13. Approximately 15 million
Americans age 18 and over (6.8% of this age group) have Social Anxiety Disorder. 3 Many people
with this affliction are never diagnosed or treated. Their number is not usually considered a
Learning Disability but can be considered part of the larger category of learning and success
challenges. As you read through the next section and look at the list of possible learning and
success challenges your child may face, you will see that if you added the prevalence rates of
every category, a great many more people are affected. Your child is only one of many who face
substantial and significant obstacles to their success, and you are not the only parent or family
coping with these challenges. Remember, there is no need to panic if you think your child might
have one of these issues, but you do need to take action.
LD’s and learning challenges can and do negatively impact learning and performance and, as
such, should be treated seriously. Many with these problems go untreated, and find school
daunting enough to avoid higher education or even drop out, preferring to enter the work
world.4 When untreated and unsupported, students with learning challenges are more likely
than their peers to:
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Struggle in life and have fewer opportunities.
Receive less education, especially forgoing college or graduate school.
Engage in riskier behaviors or other negative behavioral patterns (e.g. gambling addiction).
Experience legal problems or divorce.
Experiment with, and become addicted to, drugs and alcohol.
Taking positive and productive action, which you are doing right now, is essential to make sure
your child has the best chance to create a successful life.
1Cortiella, Candace. (2011) The State of Learning Disabilities. Retrieved from http://www.ncld.org/types-learning-disabilities/what-is-ld/stateof-learning-disabilities
2 U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2012). Digest of Education Statistics, 2011 (NCES 2012-001), Table
46. Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d11/tables/dt11_046.asp?referrer=list
3 Kessler, R.C., Chiu. W.T., Demler, O., Walters, E.E. (2005). Prevalence, severity, and comorbidity of twelve-month DSM-IV disorders in the
National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R). Archives of General Psychiatry, 62:6, 617-627.
4 Cortiella, Candace. (2011) The State of Learning Disabilities. Retrieved from http://www.ncld.org/types-learning-disabilities/what-is-ld/stateof-learning-disabilities.
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The next section addresses possibilities of what problem(s) your child faces. After describing
these areas, this document will lead you to others in this Path, including worksheets to help you
organize your thoughts and information, as you begin assessing your child’s issues and contact
helping professionals.
WHY IS MY CHILD STRUGGLING IN SCHOOL?
Narrowing down what issue your child might be facing is a major step in ensuring they receive
the proper treatment. Is it an official “Learning Disability,” of the type recognized by federal
law? Or, is it a “learning challenge,” an issue such as a health concern, a developmental
problem, or an impairment of attention? Or could it be some other learning challenge that may
or may not be commonly recognized as an obstacle to school, social, or life success? It is vital to
figure out which factor or factors are acting as the barriers to your child’s success and
happiness. In general, it may take considerable effort to discern what is negatively affecting a
child’s learning and performance. It is normal to have one or more evaluations by professionals
to rule out the wrong diagnoses, figure out the right ones, and form a treatment plan to tackle
them.
This section describes the basic, overarching categories of learning challenges or disabilities
that are known to affect learners, both young and old. At first glance, some problems may not
seem to have much to do with learning, education, and succeeding at goals. However, such
problems do have an impact. For example, many will result in a loss of energy, lowered selfesteem, and decreased motivation; ultimately leading to intense feelings of anxiety and
depression that impair a person’s performance.
The types of problems listed here are presented in brief to allow for a quick appraisal. We
recommend further investigation of any areas that fit your child’s challenges. If, after reading,
you do not come across a listing that matches what you feel your child is experiencing, don’t
fear. While this list is comprehensive, it is by no means exhaustive. Just remember: it is best to
let a professional provide a final diagnosis. The information presented below is not intended to
foster a diagnosis but to help you consider areas to investigate with the help of a professional.
While a great deal of information exists (especially on the internet) you should not try to
diagnose the problem yourself. At first, it is best to rely upon the knowledge, experience, and
expertise of trained and licensed professionals. If they cannot provide the answers you need,
then you may need to put on your detective cap and try to figure things out for yourself. You
will have to figure out what is going on, and rule out any problems that you can. In this way you
can target your efforts towards the right kinds of treatment and avoid costly, unsuccessful
approaches that sap resources and make you, or your child, feel defeated.
If you feel you already have a strong idea of what your child’s problem areas may be, you can
bypass this section and continue to the next section, Getting Help: A Five Step Process.
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Adjustment Disorders: Issues related to difficulty in adjusting to changes in life circumstances.
These may include divorce, death of a loved one, moving to a new neighborhood, or exposure
to trauma. They may also stem from being orphaned or given up for adoption; coming from
early orphanage experiences where deficits of stimulus and early nurturing can lead to longterm impairments in developing functionality socially, intellectually, and academically.
Anxiety Disorders: (generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder,
panic attacks, stress, adjustment disorder, separation anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive
disorder.) The common factor in these disorders is the presence of excessive worry, fear, and
avoidance of situations that the person feels overwhelmed by.
Attention Problems: (attention-deficit disorder [ADD], attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
[AD/HD]. Currently defined as impulsive, inattentive, or combined type.) Attention problems, of
which ADHD is the best known, are issues related to an inability to pay attention to important
or necessary information or input. Impaired functioning of the brain areas and processes
responsible for generating and maintaining attention, drives such problems - as in ADHD. Other
conditions impair attention indirectly; the attention circuits function well, but the person
experiences frequent distractions by external or internal stimuli.
Autistic Spectrum Disorders [ASD]: (asperger’s disorder, autism.) These are problems that
involve autistic issues. Poor eye contact, difficulty relating to others, poor empathy, difficulty
communicating, and poor social ability are all well known hallmarks.
Childhood Abuse: (physical, sexual, verbal, or emotional abuse, neglect, abandonment.) Any
behaviors that violate the physical or emotional rights of a child and, in doing so, interferes with
development and creates profound emotional, intellectual, or physical harm or suffering.
Cognitive Problems: Sometimes issues in school are the result of problems in how a person
thinks, conceptualizes, or processes information. Some people think slowly, use inefficient
strategies, or have lower levels of intelligence (as measured on standardized IQ tests) than
needed to succeed in school.
Behavioral Problems: (behavioral disorders, conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder.)
Behavioral problems involve chronic or repeated behavior counter to the rules, norms, or
expectations of society. They can involve anything from violating the rights of others, to
deliberately or impulsively opposing authority figures.
Chronic Medical Illnesses: These are physical ailments that a doctor would diagnose and treat,
and which have physical and emotional symptoms or side effects. Can include issues such as
asthma, blood platelet disorders, childhood cancer, diabetes, sleep disorders (e.g. sleep apnea),
or thyroid dysfunctions. Such long-term medical issues can have an impact on success in
academic, social, and other areas.
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Communication Disorders: (expressive language disorder, mixed receptive-expressive language
disorder, phonological disorder, stuttering, auditory processing disorders.) These are problems
that interfere with the ability to understand spoken or written language, or express oneself in
those forms.
Developmental Problems: (developmental delays and disorders.)
See also: Autistic Spectrum Disorders, Non-Verbal Learning Disability (NVLD)
These are problems that occur in the normal developmental path of a child growing up and into
an adult. A Developmental Delay or problem can occur in any system or function and is usually
first noticed as a delayed development; such as delayed walking or talking. In later life it can
look like delayed social development, such as having few friends or difficulty mastering new
behaviors and skills - like learning to drive.
Drug and Alcohol Abuse: (cannabis [a.k.a. Marijuana, pot, weed], alcohol, “Hard Drugs” like
cocaine and heroin, prescription drugs, inhaling toxic vapors [paint solvents, thinner, glue, etc.].)
Substance abuse occurs whenever someone uses a foreign substance to influence their mood
or behavior to the point that it is detrimental to their health, happiness, social support system,
or livelihood. Substances, such as toxic vapors, are seriously dangerous and can cause lasting
brain damage or death.
Eating Disorders: (bulimia, anorexia, rumination disorder, pica.) These are disorders of normal
eating in which the person, frequently due to the need for control or low self-esteem, attempts
to control their eating through forced consumption or avoidance of food; or the consumption
of toxic or non-food items such as plastic, metal, and more.
Elimination Disorders: (enuresis [bed and pants wetting], encopresis: [soiling clothing],
vomiting.) These are disorders of elimination of bodily wastes or forced regurgitation. These
issues can be caused by emotional concerns but may also become compulsive, physical habits
that can be very, very difficult to break. Can cause humiliation and embarrassment, lower selfesteem, and increase general and social anxiety.
Executive Functioning: Problems with organization, planning, and monitoring planeffectiveness and completion. Is less its own diagnosis than an area of difficulty. Common in
ADD/ADHD.
Family Dysfunction: (divorce, neglect, fighting between parents, substance abuse,
verbal/emotional/physical abuse, instability of the home, insufficient food and/or other needs
not met.) These create anxiety, depression, alarm, and take energy away from academic and
social pursuits. Can often lead to Adjustment Disorders (See above).
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Learning Disabilities: Any chronic impairment of the ability to learn, perform, and prosper in an
academic or learning setting. Specific LD problems may include those related to reading,
writing, and math categories:
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Disorder of Written Expression: Problems with spelling, grammar, legibility, avoidance of
writing, sentences that lack effectiveness/cohesion, or illegible or poor writing.
Dyscalculia: Disability of mathematical calculation.
Dysgraphia: Disability of writing.
Dyslexia: Difficulty with reading.
Dysphagia / Aphasia: Learning disability in language and communication.
Dyspraxia: Disability in motor skills learning.
Other Health Impairment (OHI): Health impairments that affect learning and performance
other than those listed as official “learning disabilities” recognized by the federal or local
government.
Mood Disorders: (depression, dysthymia, bi-polar disorder, anger management problems.)
Problems with feeling depressed or having exaggerated and fluctuating emotions. Mood
Disorders impair the stability of mood, and lead to excessive and prolonged feelings of
depression, upset, anger, irritation, or any other mood. Mood Disorders severely disrupt
normal functioning and leave the person paying most of their attention to their upset, rather
than school, social, or performance demands.
Pervasive Developmental Disorders [PDD]: (autism, rett’s disorder, childhood disintegrative
disorder, asperger syndrome.) These disorders relate to problems in development (see
Developmental Disorders). The word pervasive is used to indicate chronic and continuing
problems caused by these conditions.
Physical Problems: (developmental coordination disorder, allergies, sleep apnea or other sleep
disturbances, chronic pain, medication side-effects, lack of nutrition.) These are problems with
one’s physical body that can impair ability to focus on and complete work. These lead to
fatigue, de-motivation, and otherwise distract from succeeding in school and life.
Psychotic Disorders: (e.g. psychosis, schizophrenia, schizotypal disorder, etc.) Although rare,
psychotic disorders do appear in some unfortunate children and teenagers. These illnesses
impair the child’s ability to effectively interpret incoming stimulus, make effective decisions
regarding behavior and planning, and operate effectively across environments and situations.
These individuals can seem to operate in a different reality from others around them and may
suffer from visual, auditory, and sensory hallucinations. These are serious disorders that require
serious, effective, and consistent professional medical treatment.
Processing problems: (speed, visual, auditory, language.) Difficulties processing sensory and
cognitive information as quickly as peers, or as expected or demanded by the environment.
Such individuals may arrive at the proper answers, but may do so far more slowly. Conversely,
they may hurry and make errors to attempt to maintain expected speeds of work completion.
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Sensory Problems: (visual processing disorders, blindness, auditory processing disorders,
deafness, central nervous system [CNS].) These are problems the brain has processing the
information from the five senses, or information from the body (CNS). While profound
problems can be quickly identified and supported (e.g. total blindness, complete deafness),
partial functionality can lead to great problems in school and life with little outside
understanding of why the person struggles. Partial problems may be treatable and trainable to
improve functionality.
Social Problems: (lack of friends, bullying, low emotional intelligence (EQ), lack of empathy and
inability to read social cues, poor social reciprocity, attention seeking.) Social problems can lead
to feelings of rejection and isolation. They can predict poor success working in groups and
organizations.
Tic Disorders: (tourette’s disorder, chronic motor or vocal tic disorder, transient tic disorder.)
These illnesses involve neurologically (brain) based problems regulating impulses, which can
appear in ways such as physical movements or compulsive verbal actions (sound making,
swearing, saying odd things). Can be related to, or co-occurring with, other neurological
challenges like ADHD and anxiety; can cause substantial feelings of inferiority, inadequacy,
powerlessness to control the unwanted behaviors. They may also result in embarrassment and
depressed mood.
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GETTING HELP: A FIVE-STEP PROCESS
The process of getting help can be summarized in five simple steps. Once you are done reading
the overview we recommend you also read the FAQs related to this Path, which answer many
common questions about the process.
STEP ONE is to recognize that there is a problem. You have already completed this step; after
all, you are reading a document about getting help for some kind of learning or performance
challenge. As a parent you have love and knowledge of who your child is, but you are not
trained to diagnose or treat their issues. Nor are you available to assist them at school, practice
or other places where they may need help.
STEP TWO is to gather information about your child’s problem areas. This will also include his or
her history of these challenges, and enough general information that you can quickly and easily
convey all of the pertinent information to assessing professionals. We created the Getting
Started Record Pack to help you compile that information in an organized way. The
worksheets walk you through the process by asking you for the key information you need, one
simple piece at a time. In this step you can also inquire of your health insurance provider so you
know what benefits your child is entitled to, and how much you will be required to pay out of
pocket. We have also created a simple Insurance Verification Form to help you obtain the
needed information about your health insurance benefits.
STEP THREE is to seek out a professional to begin your investigation. Experts in general areas
such as your family doctor or a psychologist are often a great place to begin. These experts may
recommend you get specialized assessments by helping professionals in specific areas, such as
psychological testing (for an overview of the child’s abilities including IQ, achievement scores
and emotional functioning), speech and language functioning (to look at reading, processing
and comprehension) or visual processing (to look at how the brain manages information that
comes through the visual channel). Keep in mind that visual processing, which is the process by
which the brain assembles eye-sight signals into meaningful knowledge and visual information,
is not to be confused with eye sight testing which focuses on ocular health (damage to the eyes,
inability to visually focus, etc.)
STEP FOUR is really a continuation of STEP THREE, you need to complete all testing and
assessments that the helping professionals ask for. The results will be explained in reports that
the professionals should sit down to explain and review with you. You need to understand
these results as best you can, because it is you who will be sharing them with the rest of the
child’s support system.
STEP FIVE is to develop and institute a treatment plan. The results you’ve gathered are only
useful if used to promote better treatment, referred to formerly as a treatment plan. The
individual treatment plans each professional uses must be incorporated into the overall
treatment plan that describes the entire scope of help the child receives. While each
professional may suggest treatments and accommodations for the child, these professionals
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often are not in touch with each other and may have limited, if any, contact with a school. Most
will require you to sign a release of information form before they can share their findings with
anyone but you. Each provider or school may have their own form they wish you to fill out but
they may be able to accept our standard Authorization of Release Form.
You want everyone who works with your child to know all of the child’s diagnoses, strengths,
limitations, and needs. It is especially important to bring this information to his or her school.
You can ask your child’s school counselor or special education expert for an education plan.
Two of the most common plans are the 504 Plan and the individualized education plan (IEP). In
the education plan process all of the reports and hard data you obtained in STEP FOUR are
utilized to determine what special support services your child needs, and is entitled to. As a
result, your school may support your child with an official IEP document that entitles your child
to strictly enforced accommodations and adjustments to curriculum. If your child’s issues are
considered less serious the school may offer a 504 or other education plan.
While not as influential as an IEP, a 504 Plan can still help get your child important support, and
remove some obstacles to their education. If the school won’t help your child with any form of
accommodation then you may need to consider switching your child to a school that will. To
qualify for an IEP, a child must usually be identified as having a Learning Disability. If your child
does not have a specific Learning Disability you may need to demonstrate that a learning
challenge is occurring. A learning challenge that has a significant, demonstrable, negative
impact on learning and performance could qualify for an IEP under the category of Other Health
Impairment (OHI).
States approach the definition of Learning Disability (LD), and therefore what qualifies for help,
differently. In some states, a large enough differential between intelligence (IQ) and
achievement testing must be proven through testing. In other states, multiple levels of
intervention from minimal, to moderate, and then to strong interventions must be tried and
failed before a child will receive substantial changes to their curriculum or academic demands.
Once you have completed all of these steps you will have to maintain ongoing contact with
various school personnel and professional helpers. It is important to review these steps each
year and observe if your child’s needs have changed. Children grow and develop, so their
abilities and needs will change too. New professionals may need to be brought in while others
may have completed rendering their services. Further assessments may be needed if new areas
of challenge appear. You will be making adjustments as they go through school until such time
as they are 18, or out on their own.
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COMMUNICATING AND UNDERSTANDING ROLES
The Role of the Parent. The parents’ job, while among the most difficult, is also the most
simple: be your child’s primary ally and champion in the world. Find your child the help he or
she needs, bring all helpers and school personnel into a support team for your child, and be a
tireless supporter of your child’s self-esteem while getting your child every bit of help and
support you can.
Parental Collaboration: Achieve Success with Less Stress
Helping anyone can be a little stressful, but when it is your child you are helping, you will have
no stronger ally than the child’s other parent, if that person is available to help. Sometimes,
being good allies is easy if two people get along and have similar principles and values. Other
times, you may have to work much harder, especially if the two parents have conflicting values,
beliefs, or views. In some cases the two parents may each choose to go it alone; or single
parents must take on the entire task by themselves. This is achievable, so do not despair. Two
parents working from differing viewpoints may ultimately cover more ground and find more,
varied, and better kinds of help for their child.
The Role of the Child. The child’s role would seem to be self-evident. After all, in a medical
setting the patient is the one receiving the treatment. In the case of learning challenges, the
child is the central figure. The child is the one who can tell you, as best they can express it, what
their problems, needs, worries, and frustrations are. Some people advocate leaving the child
out of it as a way of protecting them from stress. Children, however, are usually quite
perceptive. Being kept out of the loop makes them feel more stressed, powerless, and angrier.
We recommend treating the child as a collaborative partner and asking the child’s opinion and
preference whenever possible. People who make the choice to participate often buy in the
most, feel the most invested, and show the most commitment. We have yet to meet a learning
challenged child who did not want to correct what was wrong and enjoy greater success. Even if
your child resists, never treat him or her as the enemy.
Communicating with Your Child
A general rule of thumb: you can communicate almost anything to a child, so long as you
express it at a level that matches the child’s development. For example, an eight year old does
not need to know the specific details of a reading disability, but could benefit greatly from
being told, “You are struggling because you need some help to develop certain reading skills.
Things are going to get better the more work you put in.” Avoid shaming the child, or blaming
him or her for not caring enough. Children are resilient and can usually tell when an adult is
lying, so it is better to develop trust by being honest and direct. Avoid long lectures with
younger children. (Continued…)
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A special consideration is what to do when your child resists or refuses the help, assessments,
treatments, or special support services that you are able to obtain. This can be especially
frustrating for a parent for understandable reasons. You are trying to help, and the child’s
resistance can be experienced as needless, frustrating, angering and irrational. It is important to
try and understand why your child is resisting. Typically, children resist out of fear. The child
could fear embarrassment at being treated differently - especially being treated differently out
of fear.
Many children fear help-givers because they don’t know what to expect. For example, many
children fear they will get a shot or other invasive medical treatment when they go to a
psychologist. Therapists and psychological testers do not give such treatments; so reassuring
your child is highly useful. Generally, it is best not to force help on someone because their
resistance can impair the benefits. However, should negotiating with them fail, you may at
times need to reward (bribe) or impose negative consequences (punishments) should your child
not comply with essential treatments and help.
The Role of the Teacher. The general education teacher’s role is to educate your child and raise
your attention to anything wrong that appears to go beyond typical problems (e.g. occasional
boredom or de-motivation). Your child’s schoolteacher is not automatically an expert at all
forms of learning challenges and cannot be expected to fix significant, neurologically-based or
physical/developmental learning and performance problems. Expecting that of your child’s
teacher will frustrate everyone and alienate your child’s primary school allies.
A special education teacher’s role is to help your child develop skills and abilities to aid in their
education. Hopefully, they have the skills and technology needed to remediate underdeveloped
abilities. However, even a special education teacher may not have the specific expertise in your
child’s exact problem or constellation of problems to “fix” them. Always make sure to take time
to explain what your child’s needs may entail, and consider potential advice from your child’s
educators – keeping avenues of communication open can only benefit all parties.
The Role of the School and its Administration. The school’s job is to provide a place for
teachers to help your child get their education. The school administration’s job is to run your
child’s school. These will include principals, assistant principals, deans, and heads of
department. When you have trouble getting things done, setting up needed accommodations,
communicating with a teacher, or generally need assistance in achieving results, it is the school
administrators you should be working with
The Role of Various Helping Professionals. This is a broad spectrum of specialty school
professionals. These individuals include: school counselors, resource center teachers and staff,
special education teachers, school nurses, and paraprofessionals. Many or all of these
professionals are responsible for delivering specific support services as part of your child’s
education. Contact these individuals when you need to talk to the people who interact most
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directly with your child to offer accommodations and support services.
Interacting with Teachers, Tutors, and Helping Professionals
Helping professionals should be alerted to who else is helping the child; this way they can
understand their role on the child’s team. You should sign any necessary forms to authorize
professionals to share protected health and treatment information. One such document can be
found here, our Authorization of Release Form. Treat your child’s teachers as important allies.
We recommend giving small but meaningful gifts to show thanks and appreciation, or a letter
with some appreciative words. They can go far. Tutors need to be kept up on what work the
child is learning in school. Helping professionals need to be alerted to any changes in
symptoms, struggles and, perhaps most importantly, to successes. Everyone, including your
child, needs to be told when successes are occurring. Paying too much attention to problems
and ignoring or downplaying successes can hamper motivation.
The Role of Your Family and Friends. Adult family members and friends can provide emotional
support for both you and your child, and assist with day-to-day issues such as providing
transportation to and from tutoring or other treatment activities. Family members can provide
nurturing, and help the child engage in social, or other activities, that help the child build selfesteem outside of their learning and performance challenges. Improving self-esteem and
feeling supported can make a huge difference in the life of a learning challenged child.
The Role of Your Child’s Friends. It is important for the child to spend time playing and relaxing
with friends. Friendship reinforces self-esteem, distracts from ongoing challenges, and provides
for feelings of acceptance. Time with friends should not be mixed in with chores, tutoring, or
other activities during which the child is confronting challenges.
Don’t Forget to Help Yourself: Parents Emotional Well Being
Before a plane flight you are told that, in the event of trouble, oxygen masks will drop from the
ceiling and to please help yourself before you help your child. The same instructions apply in
this situation as well. If you feel overwhelmed by stress, you need to find a safe place to get
support. Psychotherapy can help immensely, as can talking to a non-judgmental friend or family
members. You may also consider seeking out a support group for individuals or families coping
with these issues. Talking to someone else, especially someone who has encountered these
kinds of issues before, can go a long way in making you feel less isolated and more supported in
a stressful situation.
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WHAT COMES NEXT?
Newton’s Path continually adds resources to our database of solutions. Continue to check back
periodically for new tools and articles. You can read the section on finding helpful resources in
the FAQs for this Path. PsychologyToday.com also maintains a list of therapists and
psychiatrists who can help. You can use your preferred search engine to search for local tutors,
speech/language processing, sensory impairment, physical health and other professionals to
perform assessments and render diagnoses and treatments.
Now that you have completed this document you are ready to continue on to the next set of
Solution Documents in this path, including a provider’s essay on How LD affects a child at
School. Then, fill out the Getting Started Record Pack, the Insurance Verification Form, and the
Authorization of Release and you are ready to begin contacting helping professionals.
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