Memory Problems in Five-Year-Old

My five-year-old son is finishing preschool and he can't remember things like his address, colors, shapes, and names of family members. His teacher is trying to get a screening done, but says it is similar to the one she did. I don't know how to find out if something is wrong.

You are very wise to want to address the problems your son is having at this age. Difficulties like this with naming and remembering can lead to later struggles with learning how to read. We have a lot of information about warning signs for learning disabilities so we can give kids the supports they need before they fail. Take a look at LD and Your Child: An Age-by-Age Guide and on FamilyEducation.com.

Here are some of the common signs of learning disabilities for preschoolers:

Speaks later than most children

Pronunciation problems

Slow vocabulary growth, often unable to find the right words

Difficulty rhyming words

Trouble learning numbers, alphabet, days of the week, colors, shapes

Trouble interacting with peers

Difficulty following directions or routines

Fine motor skills slow to develop

It would certainly be to your advantage to have your child evaluated. You have a right under federal law to request a free evaluation from your local school system. If you have any trouble getting started or if you want someone to help walk you through the system, contact the Coordinated Campaign for Learning Disabilities (www.aboutld.org) at 1-888-GR8-MIND. They will help you to find a parent support group in your community where you can get more assistance. They can also send you free information about learning disabilities, including their booklet Learning Disabilities: Information, Strategies, Resources. I'd also read Susan Hall and Louisa Moats' book, Straight Talk About Reading: How Parents Can Make a Difference During the Early Years.

The best reason for getting an evaluation early is that research shows that if you identify and give appropriate supports to a child in kindergarten or first grade, there's a 90 percent chance that he will become at least an average reader. If you wait until much later, the odds of improving his skills sufficiently become much less.

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