The Misunderstood Child

Learning Styles are a scientific miracle cure capable of addressing many problems a child experiences at home and at school, such as homework aversion, being disruptive, being bullied, underachieving. Sometimes, however, learning difficulties are not simply a result of a mismatching learning style.

Sensory Processing Dysfunction

Dysfunction of sensory processing is a neurological problem with processing sensations. Children interpret sensation from the environment or from their bodies in an inaccurate way: sensory-seeking, sensory-avoidance and dyspraxia. All three variants have to be diagnosed by a specialist and are usually treated using sensory integration therapy (a fun process in a sensory-enriched gym with lots of swinging, spinning, tactile, visual, auditory and taste opportunities).

Sensory Seeking


Children with sensory dysfunction do not necessarily exhibit every characteristic, for example, a child with vestibular dysfunction may have poor balance but good muscle tone, or show characteristics of a dysfunction one day but not the next.

 Children with "sensory seeking" behaviour do not always process incoming sensory input. They may appear hyperactive, engage in dangerous activities (climbing too high), be unaware of pain or extra loud sounds. Their learning style will typically include tactile and/or kinesthetic preferences.

Sensory Avoidance

Children with "sensory avoidance" hate crowds, noise, dirty hands, walking on sand and being touched. Their learning style will typically not include tactile preferences.

 

Dyspraxia

Children with dyspraxia (a motor planning problem, also known as Developmental Coordination Disorder), have trouble learning new things even though they may be very intelligent. The problem is that the connections that link the brain to the rest of the body don’t work properly, and the child’s body finds it difficult to do what the brain is telling it to do. Lots of practice usually helps to master a new skill.

The dyspraxic child may display the following symptoms:

seem clumsy,

• not know today what they knew yesterday,
• not understand multiple instructions,
• be disorganised,
• lose things,
• have illegible handwriting,
• not know how to draw,
• be bright and intelligent, but fail academically.

Their learning style will typically exhibit holistic preferences.

What learning preferences does your child exhibit?

Find out.