171: Understanding Learning Disabilities in the Classroom with Research Scientist Katie Davis

Motherhood Meets Medicine

Trying to navigate the world of learning disabilities with your children and just getting more and more confused? Trust me, I know. I’ve been there. Which is why I keep bringing in the experts to provide you ways to understand learning disabilities in the classroom.

Something I just learned was that a lot of the terms that educators have started to use aren’t even true medical diagnoses recognized by medical professionals. Crazy!

Here to share more about learning disabilities is Katie Davis. She is a Research Scientist at Johns Hopkins University and a clinical Neuropsychologist in New York City. She specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of learning and attention disorders. Katie is an expert in statistics and her research focuses on helping clinicians and educators apply statistical rigor to their data analysis.

Listen in to learn more about the most often diagnosed disorders, what the terms actually mean, and how to talk to your kids about their learning disabilities. Katie also shares her thoughts on how to get the best support for your children within their school system.

In this episode, we discuss:

What the terms Dyslexia, Dysgraphia and Dyscalculia mean.

How they are different from learning disorders in Reading, Writing and Math.

When diagnostic labels are useful and not useful.

How to talk to your child about their learning disorder.

Resources:

Connect with Katie:

Dr. Katie Davis -http://Drkatiedavis.com

TeenSights -Katiesd.substack.com

Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/drkatiesdavis/

Questions:

What do the terms dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia mean, and how are they different from learning disorders in reading, writing, and math?

What are the differences between a diagnosis, a disability, and a school classification?

What do we mean when we say “processing”?

When are diagnostic labels useful and not useful?

What labels do professionals commonly use that aren’t official diagnoses, and what is the utility (or lack thereof) of those labels?

Disclaimer: This podcast does not provide medical advice. The information on this podcast is for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

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