“How could I explain her learning disability in way that might build — not destroy — my child’s self-esteem? Finding the right moments and the right words to talk about how and why her brain’s unique wiring took courage, compassion, and time.”
By Angie Krum Updated on April 6, 2022
“Keeping them secret was never part of my plan. My daughter’s learning disabilities do not shame or embarrass me. I also knew I could not keep the information from her. Every doctor’s visit prompted the pediatrician to ask about school, which resulted in a tip-toe-style conversation around my daughter’s struggles.
When she was 4, we began visiting specialists to test and retest her for ADHD and Auditory Processing Disorder (APD). Before and after each appointment, I offered a pep talk, so to speak, about what was going to happen there and a post-visit conversation to discuss how things went. As she entered elementary school, my daughter joined a special-education teacher for core subjects and saw occupational and speech therapists while the other kids were at gym or in art class. Certainly, things began to sink in for her.”