Many children struggle with school-related activities or tasks from time to time. But when your child continues to struggle after putting in extra time, then they may have a learning disability. At the office of Debra N Brosius, Psy.D., LLC in McLean, Virginia, the clinical psychologist specializes in testing for learning disabilities. Call or schedule an appointment online today.
Learning disabilities are genetic or neurodevelopmental conditions that affect brain function, making it harder to process information related to learning. These brain malfunctions may affect basic skills like reading or writing or higher learning needs like abstract reasoning or attention.
Types of learning disabilities include:
Dyslexia is a learning disorder that makes it harder to read.
Dysgraphia affects fine-motor skills, making it harder to write.
Dyscalculia is a learning disability that affects a child’s ability to understand and process numbers.
The emotional and behavioral symptoms that affect children with ADHD may also cause learning disabilities.
Symptoms of learning disabilities vary and may depend on the underlying disorder. Common symptoms include:
Children with learning disabilities often have average or above-average intelligence.
Debra N Brosius, Psy.D., LLC is an integrated mental health practice that offers comprehensive testing for learning disabilities. To diagnose a learning disability, Dr. Brosius may conduct an intelligence quotient (IQ) test and standardized achievement tests in math, reading, and writing as well as other tests that are aimed at understanding the clinical question.
A child with a learning disability may have a normal or above-normal IQ but score poorly on achievement tests.
Dr. Brosius also offers psychology consultations for educators and parents with concerns about school assessments that indicate a possible learning disability. She reviews the previous assessment and answers your questions.
She may recommend additional testing to better understand your child’s learning difficulties.
Undiagnosed learning disabilities in children may affect emotional and psychological well-being. It may also lead to behavioral problems. Many children struggling with emotional or behavioral problems have an underlying learning disability.
Children with learning disabilities need specialized instruction. Dr. Brosius completes a formal report after her comprehensive assessment to help your child get the special education services they need.
To find out more about testing for learning disabilities at Debra N Brosius, Psy.D., LLC, call the office or book an appointment online today.