Learning Disorders - Treatment

Once a learning disorder has been diagnosed, an individual education plan (IEP) is developed for the child. An IEP outlines the kind of instructional program that is likely to help the child overcome his or her learning problems. It may involve special instruction within a regular classroom or assignment to a special-education class. All IEPs also provide for annual retesting to measure the child's progress.

An IEP for a child with a reading disorder may focus on helping the child recognize the sounds and meanings of letters and words. As the child progresses, instruction shifts to improving his or her ability to understand words and sentences, to remember what he or she has read, and to learn how to study more efficiently.

Students with writing disorders are often encouraged to keep a journal—a daily record of their activities. They often find it easier to express their thoughts by using a computer rather than paper and pencil. Children with mathematical disorders are often given number problems from everyday life. For example, they are taught how to balance a checkbook or compare prices on a shopping trip.