Helping Your Child When They Are Struggling In School: Addressing Possible Causes

When you have a child, you only want the best for them and their well-being. As such, you do everything in your power to ensure that your child is happy, healthy, and successful in life. As such, if you find out that your child is struggling in school and is just not able to get it together, you may wonder what you can do to help them. Get to know some of the potential issues or conditions that could be the cause of your child's struggles at school. Then, you will be able to help your child get back on track in school as soon as possible.

Vision or Hearing Impairments

One of the surprising potential causes of your child's difficulty in school has nothing to do with their intellectual or mental capabilities. Vision and hearing problems may sometimes be the cause of their trouble.

If your child is unable to see what their teacher is writing on the board or cannot hear them clearly, they may be missing out on important information and lessons. To determine if one or both of these issues are contributing to your child's difficulties in school, schedule them an appointment with their pediatrician and/or a vision or hearing specialist. Having their vision and hearing tested is one of the easiest steps that you can take to help them with their learning troubles and is also one of the easiest to address (with corrective lenses and hearing aids).

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is another possible reason that your child is having trouble in school. Oftentimes, this becomes an issue of being able to sit still and focus on a single task or concept for a prolonged period of time. If your child is not able to concentrate or remain focused, learning in school can be extremely difficult.

Determining if your child is suffering from ADHD often involves a diagnosis both from a medical doctor as well as input and treatment from a psychologist or psychiatrist. Your child will receive a series of psychological evaluations to determine whether or not they suffer from ADHD or another condition.

A psych exam can involve your child being asked a series of questions by the psychologist or can also include written questionnaires and activities. Your child's psychologist may also with to talk to you as well as your child's teachers to determine behavioral patterns and get a comprehensive understanding of your child's mental health. If it is ADHD that is causing their problems in school, accommodations can be made and your child can take medications or learn coping strategies in counseling to overcome these obstacles.

Now that you know a few of the potential causes of your child's difficulties in school, you can be sure that you get them the care and treatment that they need to get back on track in school as soon as possible.

For more information and advice, talk with a psychologist in your area, such as those at Rainbow Pediatrics.


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