When a bright child struggles with learning

Twenty-five years ago, I first came face to face with a paradox I had no answer for. And I was already a professional, a speech therapist who prepared children for school. It happened with my own child. She was clearly bright and intensely creative. She could invent things day and night, stage little performances with her sister, and draw endlessly.

A child may know a letter, a rule, or the correct answer and still not have stable access to that knowledge while completing a task. From the outside, it may look as if the child forgot, is not looking carefully, or is guessing. But what if, in that moment, it is not the knowledge that changes, but the state of perception itself?

I’ve been talking with the mother of a boy, and she put into words exactly what worries her most. Not the individual mistakes. Not the grades. Not even reading itself. What worries her is the gap between what her child actually knows and can do, and what he is able to show. And therefore, what other people are able to see in him. I think this is one of the most painful realities for bright children who struggle with reading or other academic skills. Because at home, parents o

Signs of dyslexia in children by age: difficulties with reading, writing, math, attention, and sequencing. We explain possible causes and ways to help using the Davis®–PRIMA approach.

If your child avoids homework, reads slowly, makes the same mistakes over and over, or seems unable to concentrate, it is easy to assume they simply are not trying hard enough. But for many intelligent children, that conclusion is wrong. Some children grasp complex ideas quickly, ask insightful questions, and think creatively, yet still struggle with reading, writing, mathematics, or following classroom instructions. The problem is often not intelligence or motivation. It is

What are dyslexia and dysgraphia, why can reading and writing errors be inconsistent, and how does the Davis® approach work with perception and symbols?

You notice that your child cannot sit still. They start ten things and finish none. Teachers send notes — and at home there are tears over homework night after night. The first thing you want is an answer. Fast. Clear. Preferably online. That is exactly why I created this test. What is ADHD, and why do I talk about it differently? ADHD — attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder — is primarily associated with inattention and/or hyperactivity and impulsivity. In children, diagn

Signs of dyslexia in children by age: difficulties with reading, writing, mathematics, attention and sequencing. Causes and ways to help in the Davis®–PRIMA approach.

Dyslexia is not the end of the road. It simply means your child processes information differently. Your child is not lazy or unintelligent. Their brain just needs a different way in. The earlier you understand what is really going on, the easier it is to help. There are methods that work. And you do not have to figure this out alone — there are specialists who know how to help.