Learning:
www.focusonlearning.org - Links for seven, non-profit leaders in the field of learning disabilities. This sight is a great place to get help if you suspect that your child may have a learning disability. The site includes: Early warning signs, commonly asked questions, starting out, finding support, taking actions, resources, and much more. An excellent site!
Call your local school system for the Child Search team for ages 3 and up.
If you feel that your child is experiencing a delay in speech development or you if have any suspicion or sign that your child may be at risk for later learning problems, do not take the "wait and see" approach. They will evaluate your child and he/she may qualify for services (at no cost to you). If you child is already in school, public schools are legally required to provide a free assessment if there is any suspicion of risk for later learning problems - even if the child in question attends a private school. If your child is very young, a speech therapist will come to your home if this is the best situation for the child.
Also, they screen children who may be gifted and/or talented. Talented refers to a child exhibiting exceptional ability in art, music and/or theater, greater than his or her age peers. Gifted refers to high intellectual or academic abilities. You can request that they send to you a list of age appropriate skills and abilities. Also, you can request a brochure explaining the gifted program available to qualifying students through the public school system.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the same law that mandates services for qualifying children, also assists states in providing early intervention for infants and toddlers. For more information about how this law applies to your family, visit IDEAPractices at www.ideapractices.org
This site offers support resources, publications and information free of charge to parents with children with learning differences. It emphasis useful and practical strategies. A great site with a wide range of topics such as AD/HD, behavioral issues, child development, emotional/social and much more. You can do a search. The site is user friendly. .
Language:
If you suspect that your child has a speech and language disorder, there are many options available, even for children under threee. These include early intervention programs, hospital speech clinics, private speech pathology practices, state programs like Early Steps (ChildNet) and Child Search, and universities offering graduate speech programs. Following are some resources:
