Learning Disability

“Learning disabilities are generally defined as deficits in specific areas of reading, writing, and math that are caused by cognitive deficits related to those areas. “
How to determine?
To determine whether a student has a learning disability, a thorough evaluation of the student’s personal academic and cognitive strengths and weaknesses must be completed.
In addition to this evaluation, information about the child’s development and health history, performance in school, and strategies used to remediate academic difficulties are all included.

In the school world, learning disabilities are defined in one of the following areas:

  • Basic Reading
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reading Fluency
  • Math Calculation
  • Math Problem Solving
  • Written Expression
  • Oral Expression
  • Listening Comprehension

At Spark, all of our evaluators have worked, and in some cases continue to work, in the school setting where we have helped students, families, and schools understand what it means to have a learning disability. Sometimes that means explaining what a learning disability is not, which includes such difficulties as:

  • Physical or medical conditions
  • Autism
  • Developmental delays
  • Intellectual disabilities
  • Low intelligence
  • Emotional or behavioral disorders
  • Environmental challenges
  • Cultural or language differences
  • Motor difficulties
  • Hearing or vision impairments
One of our specialties is determining the difference between a true learning disability and one of the other potential causes of academic difficulties, as mentioned above. Because of our experience and expertise in this area, schools typically accept our evaluations in lieu of requesting a school evaluation, which saves time for parents, students, and schools as well.

In addition to evaluations geared toward schools, we also provide evaluations that follow the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual’s broader definition of learning disorders.

What to do?

If you believe your child has a learning disability or has been previously diagnosed with a learning disability, we are happy to provide a free consultation to listen to your concerns, review the evaluations you have, and guide you in the right direction for next steps.

Schedule a free consultation