Learning Disorders - Diagnosis

The first step in diagnosing a learning disorder is a complete medical, psychological, and educational examination. The purpose of this examination is to rule out other conditions with symptoms similar to those of learning disorders. For example, a child with mental retardation (see mental retardation entry), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (see attention-deficition/hyperactivity disorder entry), or an unusually poor educational background may show the symptoms of a learning disorder. These conditions are different from a learning disorder and need to be treated differently.

If no medical problems are found, the child can take a series of psychological and educational tests. Some of the tests commonly used include the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-educational Battery, and the Peabody Individual Achievement Test-Revised. These tests measure the child's native intelligence as well as his or her mental achievements.