Does the child face learning disabilities? Keep in mind the 3 main points!

There is no quick solution to learning disabilities, but you can consider the following steps to help your child.

How can I help children with learning disabilities?

As a parent, if your child has been struggling, your first instinct always wants to jump in and help. But there is no quick fix for learning disabilities, and there is no panacea1. Your child’s brain is processing information in different ways. Therefore, to improve learning difficulties, it should be based on readjusting the condition of the brain. Ensure proper nutrition for the brain to help the brain develop healthily.

How to evaluate different suggestions

There are many suggestions and solutions for learning disabilities. But how do you know which one is best for your child?

When considering any plan, please consider the following 3 tips:

1. Beware of over-simple solutions: there is no quick solution to learning difficulties, so if someone provides a solution that looks too good to be true, then you must be careful, because it might be that way! ^3,4
2. Questions: Don’t be ashamed to ask questions. These questions are very important:^3,4

• Has the program succeeded in other children?
• Has this scheme been studied before?
• Are there any side effects?

3. Believe in yourself：You are the person who cares about your children the most, so trust your instincts. If you have any doubts about the plan, please do not use it at will, and ask for opinions from multiple parties. ⁴

Nutritional considerations

60% of the weight of the brain is made up of fat. To keep your brain healthy, make sure that your diet contains the correct fats (such as omega-3 fatty acids)5. Modern diets generally lack these omega-3 fatty acids, but contain too much saturated fat and processed fat, which is not conducive to brain development.

Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid, which is very important for brain neurodevelopment and has been proven to improve cognitive function. So when the child’s body lacks omega-3, the risk of learning disabilities will increase. ⁵

The best source of Omega-3 fatty acids is oily fish. Some people do not like the taste of fish, so they will not include fish or seafood in their diet. However, especially for growing children, it is very important to provide the brain with these vital omega-3 fatty acids. If you think that your child cannot get enough omega-3 fatty acids in their daily diet, then you must consider supplementing fish oil. Fish oil supplements are related to improving cognitive learning, and it is important that they do not have any side effects.

Reference

1. National Institute of Health. What are the treatments for learning disabilities? at: https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/learning/conditioninfo/treatment. Accessed  November 2018.
2. Child Mind Institute. Specific learning disorder: treatment Available at: https://childmind.org/guide/specific-learning-disorder/treatment/. Accessed  November 2018.
3. PBS Parents. Treatment for learning disabilities.    Available at: http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/learning-disabilities/basics/treatment-for-learning-disabilities/. Accessed November 2018.
4. PBS Parents. Teaching Strategies – learning disabilities.    Available at: http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/learning-disabilities/strategies-for-learning-disabilities/teaching-strategies/. Accessed  November 2018.
5. Integrated Medicine Institute. Specific nutrients for children with learning disabilities and hyperactivity issues. Available at: https://www.imi.com.hk/specific-nutrients-for-children-with-learning-disabilities-adhd-hyperactivity.html. Accessed  November 2018.

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