Behavioural problems can happen in children of all ages. Some children have serious behavioural problems. These are signs to look out for:
- If the child continues to behave badly for several months or longer, or is repeatedly disobedient, cheeky, and aggressive.
- If the child's behaviour is out of the ordinary and seriously breaks the rules accepted in their home and school. This is much more than ordinary childish mischief or adolescent rebelliousness.
Common types of learning disabilities
- Dyslexia — difficulty with reading. Problems reading, writing, spelling, and speaking.
- Dyscalculia — difficulty with maths. Problems doing maths problems, understanding time, and using money.
- Dysgraphia — difficulty with writing. Problems with handwriting, spelling, and organising ideas.
- Dyspraxia (sensory integration disorder) — difficulty with fine motor skills. Problems with hand-eye coordination, balance, and manual dexterity.
- Dysphasia / aphasia — difficulty with language. Problems understanding spoken language, and poor reading comprehension.
- Auditory processing disorder — difficulty hearing differences between sounds. Problems with reading, comprehension, and language.
- Visual processing disorder — difficulty interpreting visual information. Problems with reading, maths, maps, charts, symbols, and pictures.
Other disorders that make learning difficult
Difficulty in school does not always stem from a learning disability. Anxiety, depression, stressful events, emotional trauma, and other conditions affecting concentration make learning more of a challenge. In addition, ADHD and autism sometimes co-occur or are confused with learning disabilities.
ADHD — attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, while not considered a learning disability, can certainly disrupt learning. Children with ADHD often have problems sitting still, staying focused, following instructions, staying organised, and completing homework.
Autism — difficulty mastering certain academic skills can stem from pervasive developmental disorders such as autism and Asperger's syndrome. Children with autism spectrum disorders may have trouble communicating, reading body language, learning basic skills, making friends, and making eye contact.