Learning Disorders

Learning difficulties and early signs of learning disorders are often picked up in early primary school when the child starts classroom-based learning in reading, writing and maths.

If your school-age child has learning difficulties or a learning disorder, you might notice that they:

  • Dislike reading, writing or maths and/or find reading, writing or maths hard
  • Lack confidence in schoolwork
  • Have trouble spelling common words, using rhyming words or counting
  • Difficulty spotting the sounds and syllables in words 
  • Linking a number to the associated word – for example, ‘6’ and ‘six’

Learning disorders are defined as having an impairment in one or more of the following:

  • Maths
  • Understanding or using written or spoken language
  • Information processing
  • Memory
  • Reading (including dyslexia and hyperlexia disorder)

Indicators of learning disability can include:

  • Speech delay
  • Problems discriminating sounds
  • Difficulty learning letters and sounds
  • Difficulty following directions or responding to questions
  • Impaired fine motor skills, such as holding utensils, buttoning clothing and using crayons
  • Impaired visual-spatial processing, such as difficulty matching shapes or inability to copy information from a whiteboard to paper

If you are looking for a team of Paediatricians to help find a diagnosis and care for your child, reach out to your GP for a referral to see us.

For all enquiries please email

admin@townsvillepaediatrics.com.au