A Clinician's Guide to Learning Disabilities

Many children with learning disabilities have mental health needs that bring them into contact with clinicians who work outside of school settings. When external clinicians are not trained in school-based special education procedures, however, treatment goals and recommendations are often inconsistent, creating confusion for both clinicians and parents. A Clinician's Guide to Learning Disabilities seeks to remedy this disconnect and demystify the process of assessing and diagnosing learning disorders. This book provides succinct description of various types of learning disorders that affect educational achievement-illustrated with numerous case studies and supplemented with clear descriptions of educational assessment best practices and psychoeducational test score reporting-and contains key information to help clinicians identify learning these disorders in students of all ages. Current practices for major diagnostic and legal references, such as the DSM-5® and IDEA, are compared, contrasted, and clarified. A chapter on the legal background of learning disabilities provides guidance on supports for students with learning disabilities in all settings. Chapters on preschool assessment and the transition to post-high school college and career expand the scope of the book beyond the school years. Discussion of referral and collaboration will inform clinicians who seek deeper educational knowledge about their clients to better guide students and their families. Through its thorough presentation of learning disabilities and the psychoeducational evaluation process, A Clinician's Guide to Learning Disabilities will serve as an essential resource for mental health clinicians working with children and adolescents.

Carleen Franz, Ph.D. Educational Psychologist in Private Practice Lawrence, Kansas Lee Ascherman, M.D., MPH Vice Chair for Education and Training, University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Psychiatry and Neurobiology Director, UAB Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Chief of Service, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Children's Hospital of Alabama Birmingham, Alabama Julia Shaftel, Ph.D. Licensed Psychologist in Independent Practice Lawrence, Kansas