Does your child struggle with writing? If so, you are not alone! When kids come to my (Katie's) office for testing, they are usually happy to play with toys and look at pictures... until I get out a pencil and tell them we are going to write! Writing can be challenging for so many reasons.

I constantly talk with parents who are stressed and overwhelmed every time their child brings home a writing assignment. Don’t worry, we are here to help you understand why this is happening and how you can support your child! 

Writing and language are connected

There is a strong link between writing and language. In many ways, writing is the academic form of speaking, so children who have a language disorder are much more likely to struggle with writing. One longitudinal research study revealed that “among children with speech and language impairment, the cumulative incidence of a writing disorder was 61.4% for boys and 55.1% for girls at age 19 years” (Katusic et al., 2009).

If you are worrie...

Do you have concerns about your child's ability to process information? Do you ever feel like you are talking, and they aren't really "listening" to what you are saying? Many parents have heard of Auditory Processing Disorder, but the symptoms can be hard to pin down - especially when autism, ADHD, or a language disorder are involved. To help clarify this complex diagnosis, we have gone to an expert in the field of hearing - Dr. Lindsay Cockburn, a pediatric audiologist in Los Angeles, California. Thank you Lindsay for sharing your expertise about auditory processing disorder! We are so happy to feature your knowledge on the blog today. 

What is auditory processing?

Hearing is perceiving that sound is present. Listening is an active process that involves paying attention to what is heard. Auditory Processing is making sense of what you are listening to. Auditory Processing involves the brain using prior knowledge, experiences, and language skills to give sounds and speech meaning. ...