Troubled Teens or Late-Onset Learning Difference? Podcast
When the child who did fine in elementary school is suddenly struggling, it could be a sign of a previously undetected learning difference. Find out how to get a diagnosis and help your teen.
Jason P. of Princeton, N.J., was a kid who didn’t have to study to make straight As, which he did through the 8th grade. But as the work became more difficult in high school, as he was expected to work more independently, things started to unravel. He got a few Cs in the 9th grade. His parents wondered if he was hanging out with the wrong crowd. Drinking? Doing drugs? Just lazy?
“But it wasn’t like he was watching TV and playing video games,” according to his mom, Susan. “He was sitting in his room studying, but he couldn’t focus.”
Jason’s parents took him to a psychiatrist who, to their surprise, diagnosed their 15-year-old son with attention-deficit disorder, or ADD. Fifteen to 20% of the U.S. population has a learning difference such as ADD, dyslexia, or any number of processing difficulties. While most kids are diagnosed during the elementary years, some are so good at coping, the issues don’t become apparent until they’re teens.
Jason’s parents became detectives, trying to determine the best route through the educational, medical, and social system for their son. Because there are almost as many versions of learning differences as there are kids, parents play the most important role in solving this puzzle.
“I’ve come to believe you can have seven kids and each one of them learns differently,” Susan says.
True. Which is why all this is so tricky.
Judy Davis, Ogden 12/03/08
There is also a possibility of diabetes. My daughter is 15 and did very well until sixth grade. At this point her teacher quit asking for assignments to be turned in. She felt the kids needed to learn how to do this for themselves. In many cases this is true. However, she was diagnosed with hypoglycemia this October. Research taught me that the fact that she can't remember things for more than five minutes is a HUGE! symptom of low blood sugar. The brain isn't getting the sugar it needs to function properly. She also cries for no reason and walks into walls. A new study called the dawn mind project is showing that it isn't just low blood sugar that can affect the brain. All diabetes can. It is difficult to get a Teacher to accept this. They don't understand enough about it. Don''t worry, I am teaching them.
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