Learning Disorders and Their Effects

Learning Disabilities
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Lloyd Takao, MD, has practiced as a pediatrician in the Orinda, California, area for 30 years. In addition to helping patients who are feeling sick or have minor injuries, Dr. Lloyd Takao consults with children and their families who are dealing with a variety of struggles, including learning disabilities.

Parents whose child experiences ongoing problems with schoolwork may become concerned that their child might have a learning disability. For instance, they might notice that the child seems to have difficulty telling different letters and numbers apart, or that he or she has trouble focusing on instructions or remembering information. If parents suspect a learning disorder is contributing to their child’s performance in school, it’s important that they seek help for the child, as learning disabilities can have a number of negative long-term effects. Dr Lloyd Takao can help differentiate when this happens.

Of course, one of the most obvious effects of a learning disability is poor grades and not keeping up with peers in certain respects. However, learning disorders can cause psychological problems as well. For instance, children who have a disability might begin to think that they are stupid because they have difficulty mastering certain skills in school. However, many children with learning disabilities are actually very smart; they simply might have different brain wiring that affects the way they learn and their academic achievement. To understand how they learn best becomes very important. They might be constantly told that they are not trying hard enough, a factor that can hurt self-esteem and make them less interested in trying in school. Fortunately, an evaluation and specialized treatment plan can go a long way in helping these children and ensuring their long-term well-being and success.