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What Can Be Done About Learning Disabilities
Do you or your child(ren) exhibit some of the warning signs of LD listed on our Basic Info about LD page?
All children show one or more of these behaviors from time to time throughout their childhood. A consistent showing of a group of these behaviors should be considered an indication to seek further professional advice, observation, or assessment. Keep a journal of what you observe, noting dates and situations. This will be very useful if meeting with professionals.
Below we suggest some basic first steps to be taken in order to address LD effectively. Keep in mind that these are general guidelines that apply across a broad spectrum of scenarios. For more specific advice, be sure to call our Learning Disabilities Helpline at (212) 645-6730.
Get a professional evaluation!
Noticing a few symptoms or early warning signs of LD is one thing, but completing a comprehensive psycho-educational evaluation is quite another. This evaluation consists of two components: 1.) A psychological profile which helps to rule out any emotional or mental disorders that can cause the symptoms of LD; and 2.) An educational evaluation that examines both actual academic ability in a variety of subject areas and also potential academic ability measured through a standard intelligence test.
Depending on the age of the person exhibiting symptoms of LD, different options for pursuing and paying for that evaluation exist. Below, we break down those differences according to age group:
Early Intervention: birth to 3 years old
Because children this young are not in school, symptoms of LD may be hard to detect, and doctors may be hesitant to perform a comprehensive psycho-educational evaluation. Even so, your pediatrician is the first person to talk to. If your child’s pediatrician can recommend someone who has experience performing evaluations for children in this age bracket, you may want to get a referral and go to that doctor. Check with your child’s insurance provider to see how and where such an evaluation is covered before making an appointment. If you cannot get a referral from your child’s pediatrician, and your insurance will not cover the procedure without one, you may want to call NYC Early Intervention (1-800-577-BABY or (212) 219-5580) for a free screening or, if needed, comprehensive evaluation.
For Preschoolers (3 to 5)
In most cases, parents of children in early intervention will be given the option to automatically enroll their child in the CPSE process. For children who are not given this option, or who were not in early intervention, parents should write to their Regional CPSE to request an evaluation.
For School Aged Children (5-21)
To access special education services through the Department of Education (DOE), parents are advised to write a letter to the school psychologist, who generally heads the Instructional Support Committee (ISC), a.k.a. the School-Based Support Team (SBST). This letter should include as much identifying information as possible (name, date of birth, address, phone number, school.)
For any complications resulting from this process, you may want to call our helpline at (212) 645-6730 to speak to a counselor. If you disagree with the results of the school's district's evaluation, or wish to have a second opinion, you may request an independent evaluation at public expense. Be aware that reimbursement policies vary among school districts.
Alternatively, you may also want to seek an independent evaluation before bringing your child's case to the attention of the DOE. You can speak with your insurance company to get information on both how to go about finding a specialist and your plan's coverage of evaluations. Additionally, LDA OF NYC maintains a database of referrals to diagnostic agencies and clinics, may of which offer services at low cost, based on income and family size.
Most comprehensive, psycho-educational evaluations will result in either a diagnosis of a specific learning disability, or a classification according to a system of general categories of disability. More importantly, any good evaluation will include educational recommendations that will point toward services that can remediate a learning disability. With such services, you or your child can overcome the obstacles posed by LD, and start on the way towards whatever academic goal you have in mind.
Adults: 21 and over
Getting an evaluation as an adult can be more difficult and/or more expensive than getting one as a child. This is due in large part to the lack of funding and services provided by the Department of Education for children. For adults in New York, the major source of public funding for disabilities is through Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID). This agency, part of the State Education Department, provides a variety of services and programs for individuals with disabilities, but usually requires a medical diagnosis of a disability before individuals are eligible for services. While some insurance carriers are willing to pay for such a diagnosis, others are not. Our referrals database contains many evaluation sites, some of which offer a sliding scale fee for services. Once again, this evaluation should be seen as the all-important first step that will enable persons with disabilities to overcome obstacles to their desired level of learning.
Remember: Any questions you may have about these services, including their locations and contact information, may be directed to our Helpline at (212) 645-6730, between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M., Monday-Friday. |
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