Getting a Student Help for Poor Cognitive Skills

Improve your child's reading skills by reading with her.
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When it comes to cognitive delays in children, it's not always easy to know what to do and where to turn for help. Seeking the assistance of specialists can help to identify and diagnose the problem. It's advisable to work closely with your child’s school to make special accommodations and get academic assistance unique to your child’s needs. Parents should always take a leading role in seeking effective treatments and services, and overseeing the education progress.

1 Type

The first step is to do your own research to learn and understand more about your child’s type of cognitive disability. Such efforts can help to identify the unique challenges your child faces, and find a treatment program that effectively address them. Children with poor cognitive skills often experience challenges in study skills, problem-solving skills, oral skills and social skills. They are usually slow readers and sometimes exhibit short attention spans, weak comprehension and retention abilities. In most cases, a student with cognitive delay may also exhibit low self-esteem as a result of persistent failure in academic work and social interactions.

2 External Help

Engage in research to analyze and identify the most effective treatment, therapy services and educational techniques available. It's important for parents to work with other individuals including teachers, doctors and therapists to identify solutions that suit your child’s learning needs. According to the theory of attrition, children with weak cognitive skills tend to be less motivated and exhibit less persistence in academic tasks. Seeking for special placement opportunities and other support services can improve your child’s levels of self-awareness and self-confidence.

3 Parental Involvement

Parents have a huge influence over their children’s academic outcomes. Getting involved in your child’s education through constant follow-ups, seeking therapy and counseling, and making special arrangements for private tutoring and homework practice can make a big difference in your child’s overall progress. The parent has a major role to play in terms of teaching the child appropriate ways to deal with learning challenges without getting discouraged or overwhelmed about the situation. Paying attention to your kid’s interest and passion may help to nurture her strengths, self worth and confidence.

4 Nurture Your Child’s Strengths

Despite having to struggle in certain areas of learning, children with weak cognitive skills have the potential to excel in another area. By identifying how your child learns best, it's easy to strengthen her learning style based on whether she is a visual learner, kinesthetic learner or auditory learner. The point is to prepare your child for life success by helping her to attain a healthy sense of self, the willingness to seek and accept help, the importance of perseverance, the ability to establish positive social relationships, goal setting and other vital life skills.

Maria OCadiz has been writing professionally since 1982, most recently publishing for various websites on topics like health and wellness, and education. She holds a Master of Arts in Education. She is a former university professor, curriculum facilitator and teacher.

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