How to deal with a child who suffers from academic learning difficulties

Academic learning difficulties are considered one of the disorders that have begun to spread in our current time, due to the fast-paced era in which we currently live.

However, due to the developments we have achieved in many educational, medical, scientific, and even psychological fields, it has become possible to treat many problems and diseases that we were unable to deal with previously. Among these problems that were difficult to understand or know how to deal with are academic learning difficulties in children.

But what are academic learning difficulties in children, what are the symptoms of this disorder, what are its causes, and how to deal with and treat it?

What are academic learning difficulties in children?

Academic learning difficulties are mental disorders that occur in a child from his early years.

It is a disorder or malfunction in the basic mental processes related to perception, concentration, attention, and thinking.

These difficulties negatively affect the child's academic path , as these problems have consequences on the child's ability to comprehend what is happening around him.

But their IQ is not necessarily low, but there are many of them who have a high IQ or do not differ from their colleagues or even in behavior, and sometimes they show hyperactivity rates.

But what academic difficulties do children typically face as a result of this disorder?

Children with academic learning difficulties often show the following signs:

Difficulty reading:

Children often have problems associating sounds with symbols or recognizing letters of the alphabet.

This leads to slowness and difficulty in pronunciation, as well as difficulty in spelling, or inunderstanding while reading or thinking while reading.

Difficulties in writing:

Since there are problems in linking letters and sounds, it is natural that children with academic learning difficulties will also have difficulty writing .

They have difficulty using letters and arranging them correctly.

They are unable to think while writing, and their sentence or speech order is often illogical.

Difficulty in calculation:

In which children have problems with calculations or performing basic arithmetic operations such as addition, subtraction, division and multiplication.

This is due to a gap that arises between the symbols of numbers and their values, which makes them unable to connect between them and thus makes it difficult to perform any mathematical equation.

Difficulty with basic mental skills:

Focus, attention, thinking, and perception, which explains all the academic difficulties they suffer from.

In addition to difficulty in concentrating , which leads to constant distraction and inability to pay attention effectively.

Reasons that may lead to a child being exposed to academic learning difficulties

Academic learning difficulties are considered a disorder, not a disease. Therefore, there are various reasons that may cause it, including:

Genetic factors

Such as parents having some negative habits that may affect the child or fetus.

Environmental factors

Such as water pollution, air pollution factors, or the transmission of any type of pollution to the child or fetus.

Biological factors

Such as the child being exposed to physical problems related to growth, such as:

Malnutrition, which in turn affects the growth of the child or fetus.

The child was exposed to an infection or illness that led to inflammation or a high temperature, which in turn may lead to problems in the nervous system.

The child may have an accident that could affect his nervous system, or he may have a head injury.

Any problem can affect the overall development of the brain.

Some psychological disorders can cause neurological problems such as anxiety disorders and depression.

Read also:

• The Secret to Overcoming Reading Difficulties: Expert Tips and Strategies

• Solutions to help mothers manage attention difficulties in children

Symptoms of academic learning difficulties in children

Children with academic learning difficulties suffer from academic and social problems, including:

• Difficulty or slowness in learning new skills .
• Difficulty understanding language.
• Difficulty reading .
• Difficulty writing .
• Difficulty performing basic arithmetic operations .
• Inability to understand directed speech accurately, which makes them need intense focus from teachers to make them keep up with their classmates.
• Poor ability to understand compared to their peers.
• Weak academic skills .
• Inability to learn at a level consistent with peers.

• Inability to concentrate properly.
• Inability to pay attention and quick distraction.
• Due to their language problems they have problems with:
• Understand the speech directed at them.
• express themselves.
• Therefore, it is difficult to know what others feel.
• Finally, the inability to deal with situations appropriately .
• Excessive emotions and quick temper, constant anxiety and tension.
• Frequently hyperactive.
• Excessive movement can often turn into aggression, and as a result of the inability to express oneself appropriately, one is often aggressive.
• Difficulty in adapting to the society around him.
• In addition to difficulties in remembering in general.

How can it be treated?

As we mentioned earlier, academic learning difficulties are considered mental disorders, not mental illnesses, and they may remain with a person for the rest of his life if they are not treated properly and trained on continuously.

This means that it is actually possible to work on improving the child's academic skills and even treat academic learning difficulties in general.

But it is important to follow some tips for this step:

Behavioral therapy:

In which the child who suffers from academic learning difficulties is treated through some practices and actions such as:

• Training the child to use his senses to communicate with those around him.
• Analyzing the child's personality and based on that knowing what methods will suit him.
• Develop a specific program to strengthen the child's weaknesses in basic skills.
• Make him interact with the society around him and not isolate him alone.
• The psychological aspect is very important in such cases: it is important not to make the child feel different from those around him.
• Dealing with him aggressively or being too critical.
• It is very important that everyone around him is patient.
• Replacing games with motor activities that improve the child’s performance and make him rely on his basic skills, such as using developmental games, such as games of concentration, attention, logic, and memory.
• Incorporating fun into their activities.
• Motivate and encourage them constantly.
• Offering advice and following up with them constantly without interfering too much in their lives.

• It is also important to follow up with a specialist consultant to follow up on the child's condition.
• It is also possible to seek the help of a specialized educational center to intensify the educational materials and make them easier for the child.
• The cases and degrees of academic learning difficulties vary according to the ages, habits and lifestyles of those affected, so in some cases drug treatment may be required.
• Which should not be used except by a specialist to monitor the development of the case.

We advise you to join the educational and pedagogical consultations of the school.com, which include:

• A group of educational specialists to modify behavior to help the child, whatever his condition.
• In addition to a group of qualified academic teachers to improve the child's skills, no matter the degree of difficulties he suffers from.
• This way, you will not need to look for an educational center separate from the specialized center to treat the child’s educational and behavioral disorders.
• Courses and consultations are entirely online, making it easier and safer for your child.
• Analyzing the child's personality and building the appropriate program for him.
• Use the means and methods that suit him, making them more interactive and enjoyable, away from traditional methods.
• Support and encourage the child psychologically.
• Providing support and guidance to parents and children.