Could My Kid Have a Processing Disorder?
Has your kid struggled to learn basic skills such as writing their name, counting syllables, or telling time? Do they have extreme reactions to sounds, smells, or textures? Do they try to listen, but just seem unable to follow directions? If so, they could be struggling with one or more processing disorders. Processing disorders impact a child’s ability to recognize and interpret information taken in by their senses. While processing disorders aren’t curable, appropriate interventions can help kids overcome challenges and achieve academic success.
So what are common types of processing disorders, and how can I recognize symptoms in my child?:
1. Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)
If someone says, “Look at the horse in the stable,” and your kid hears, “Look at the hair on the cable,” they may have APD. Kids with APD aren’t generally hard of hearing; their issues stem from their brain being unable to correctly process what they hear. They may find it difficult to make sense of the order of sounds or get confused about where sounds are coming from. They’re often sensitive to noisy areas and have difficulty following spoken directions, making school particularly challenging.
Think your child may have an APD? Check out the American Auditory Association to find a provider who can help
2. Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)
Does the sight of large crowds, the itch of shirt tags, or the sound of barking dogs cause your kid to throw a fit? While a foul smell or flickering light can make any of us feel uneasy, a person with SPD has extreme over-or-under sensitivity to one or more senses. This is because sensory messages aren’t signaled to their brain correctly. One person with SPD may find a tambourine to sound deafening, while another may seem completely insensitive to cold or heat. SPD is common in kids with ADHD and Autism.
Think your child or teen needs classroom accommodations? Schedule your consultation to learn how we can help
3. Motor Skill Disability (Dyspraxia)
Dyspraxia affects a person’s motor skills, as their brain has underdeveloped skills in coordination and motor planning. Dyspraxia is not related to intelligence; a child with dyspraxia can have a very high IQ, but struggle with motor tasks like getting dressed, organizing their desk, or gripping their pencil to complete a written assignment. They might bump into things often, have trouble balancing, and show poor hand-eye coordination.
4. Math Disabilities (Dyscalculia)
Does your kid have a hard time understanding math, time, and money? Dyscalculia makes it difficult to understand calculations and how numbers relate to each other. Kids with dyscalculia may have a hard time comprehending math symbols and struggle to memorize and organize numbers. They often struggle with word problems and recording their work while solving equations.
Click here to learn more about dyscalculia and how we can help
5. Writing Disabilities (Dysgraphia)
Dysgraphia affects a person’s handwriting ability and fine motor skills. Kids with dysgraphia often have illegible writing, inconsistent spacing, and poor spelling. They may struggle with grammar and punctuation, writing numbers, copying words, or thinking and writing at the same time.
Click here to learn more about dysgraphia and how we can help
6. Reading Disabilities (Dyslexia)
Does your preschooler have trouble identifying rhymes or syllables? Does your school-aged kid struggle with reading and spelling? Reading is a complex operation that requires matching letters to assigned sounds, placing sounds in correct order, conveying them into sentences, and comprehending what they mean. Kids with dyslexia have trouble with the first step - matching letters with correct sounds. This in turn makes the rest of the steps a lot tougher.
Click here to learn more about dyslexia and how we can help
7. Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities
Kids with non-verbal learning disabilities have trouble interpreting nonverbal cues such as facial expressions and body language. They may do well with memorization and repetitive learning in elementary school, but struggle with deeper-level comprehension and written expression in higher grades. They tend to have higher verbal skills and weaker motor, visual-spatial and social-skills.
8. Visual Processing Disorder (Perceptual Disorder)
Kids with VPD have difficulty comprehending what their eyes take in, but their eyesight isn’t the problem. They can have perfect vision but struggle to differentiate similar figures like “9” and “6” or “b” and “d.” They might find it hard to distinguish shapes from their background like letters on a chalkboard or objects in pictures. They often skip words or lines, misperceive depth, and have poor hand/eye coordination. Reading graphs and charts can be especially challenging for students with VPD.
Think your child may have an APD? Check out these links:
American Optometric Association
How We Can Help
Processing disorders can impact every area of a child’s life, particularly their education. The good news is, there are several services and accommodations that can level the playing field to make academic success achievable. Our Doctors offer diagnostic testing, Independent Educational Evaluations (IEEs), and educational consulting to ensure your child’s academic needs are being met.
So you know you need help, but aren’t sure how to find the right help?
If a loved one has a learning difference or other condition that impacts their mental health and education, you may feel lost in determining the best ways to support them.
Our Diagnosticians can provide psychological testing to remove the guess-work and guide your family on the best path toward mental health, emotional wellness, and academic success. Click below to schedule your consultation.
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How to Cite This Blog Article:
Shinn. M.M. (2020). Could My Kid Have a Processing Disorder? Psychologically Speaking. [Variations Psychology blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.variationspsychology.com/blogs/could-my-kid-have-a-processing-disorder