Behaviours
These behaviours may indicate that someone has a learning difficulty or disability. Click on any behaviour to learn more about what might be causing it and what strategies can help.
Always late
Your client may have problems with reading notes, sequencing, understanding time or following instructions. This could be a sign of dyslexia, dyspraxia or ADHD.
Slow reader
Dyslexia affects the speed of processing text. Because individual letters and words take a long time to process, reading a long text is difficult.
Avoids reading
Reading difficulties don't just make reading hard, they make it stressful. A person with dyslexia is often embarrassed because reading is incorrectly linked to intelligence.
Can't follow instructions
People with dyslexia struggle with long chains of instructions because of limits on the speed of processing. Someone with dyslexia is still processing the first instruction while you're already on the second one.
Misunderstands sarcasm and banter
Many people with autism have trouble dealing with language that is not exactly literal. They may not understand irony, sarcasm, or metaphor.
Unusual eye contact
People with autism may struggle with the social rules around eye contact because they have to learn these rules explicitly rather than intuitively.
Anxious about changes
People with autism rely on a stable, structured environment. They have to learn the rules explicitly and changes cause significant stress.
Pedantic about rules
People on the autism spectrum rely on rules to navigate situations that others handle intuitively. All rules feel equally important to them.
Can't concentrate
ADHD affects the brain's ability to regulate attention. People with ADHD struggle to maintain focus even when they want to.