08/28/98

Early Identification of Learning Problems

Q: Our 5-year-old son has attended the same preschool for two years. His is a late November birthday, so we opted to start him in kindergarten at age five-almost-six. We thought the extra year would benefit him socially. His preschool teacher has begun to label him as having a "processing disorder." When we pressed for specifics on what this "disorder" was, we were told that he has an inability to follow group directions, such as a request for everyone to get coats on or to proceed on an art project after the directions are given once. I do not observe this behavior at home.

The preschool teacher is urging us to have him evaluated by the school psychologist in the special education department at the school where he will be attending kindergarten. I'm afraid to have him labeled before he even attends his first day of school. What alternatives are there to having him evaluated, and is there such a thing as a "processing disorder?"

A: The main concern I have from your letter is that you are not seeing the same behaviors at home that the teacher is reporting in school. When such inconsistency exists, you need more information. What exactly does your son do or not do when given directions that leads the teacher to think that he is having trouble processing (understanding) them? School people also benefit from information only you can provide regarding how your son handles directions at home.

The category in special education for "processing disorders" is Learning Disability. However, a child your son's age rarely receives that diagnosis, because he still has no school track record of academic deficiencies. In fact, in many states, young children fall into a "developmentally at risk" category for purposes of receiving support services in preschool, kindergarten or first grade. Remedial (non-special education) services, for example, are often made available to youngsters who are having difficulty acquiring basic reading or math skills.

There are some interim steps you can take before signing for a formal evaluation. You can request that the school psychologist or other member of the school support staff from the school where your son will be attending kindergarten, do an informal observation of your son at the preschool in order to offer suggestions to the teachers (if he or she notes specific difficulties with learning or school adjustment). This person will be able to help you understand the reasons behind any recommendation for an evaluation.

Now that the new school year is upon us, you may want to wait a few weeks to see whether problems arise. Again, an informal observation from a special educator would most likely occur before proceeding with an evaluation.

An evaluation does not necessarily lead to a label or to special education services. Sometimes it helps everyone understand a child's needs better, by illuminating learning strengths and weaknesses. Knowing this can guide instructional approaches to fill in knowledge/skill gaps, improve performance and reverse a downward trend without intervention from special educators. On the other hand, early intervention can work wonders. Don't avoid a comprehensive evaluation just because you're worried about its consequences.

Please send questions or comments to bbruno@snet.net.