Mental Health Needs of Kids with Learning Challenges

Children who experience learning challenges can be at a higher risk for mental health concerns. As children develop more self-awareness, they can experience worry that they are falling behind their peers or negative thoughts about themselves.

What are some common mental health concerns for kids with learning challenges?

1. Anxiety

Children may compare their academic performance to others in their classroom. Common concerns of kids can include:

• How quickly or easily other students complete their work compared to how long it takes them to finish
• Freezing when called on in class, not wanting to answer incorrectly, reluctance to read out loud or complete a math problem on the board, etc.
• Feeling singled out when called out of class for tutoring or additional help

They may carry these worries home with them and may avoid starting homework or become easily frustrated by homework.

Over time, kids may express physical symptoms when in academic situations (e.g. stomachaches, headaches), often frequenting the nurse’s office during class, or in more severe cases, dreading school. These are common symptoms of anxiety because our minds and bodies are connected.

2. Low Self-Esteem

Children who have high expectations for themselves can often engage in negative self-talk when they experience challenging situations. They may say or think unkind things about themselves like “I can’t believe I messed up again!”

• They may assume that because they are learning at a slower pace compared to their peers, it is because they are just “not smart.”
• This repeated and persistent pattern of negative thoughts can harm their sense of self-worth and self-confidence.

3. Depression and Isolation

These children often try hard to be successful academically but when they receive negative feedback (like poor test scores) over and over, it can lead them to burn out. They often work harder than their peers without learning difficulties, spending significantly more time on school-related tasks.

Changes in their mood may occur over time. You may also see them isolating themselves from others and not wanting to engage in hobbies, sports or with friends.

4. Behavior Issues

Sometimes children may say they don’t care about their learning challenges. They may tell jokes or act out in the classroom setting to divert others’ attention away from their learning struggles.

Behavior may include:

• Disrupting classroom instruction
• Arguing with teachers and school staff
• Shutting down or disengaging from their classroom

How can I support my child’s mental health if they have a learning challenge?

There are lots of ways that you can support kids with learning challenges.

• Celebrating strengths – Help them understand that different is not bad. Every child learns differently.
  • Normalize their challenges with warmth and validation.
  • Find hobbies and activities the child feels good about doing and encourage ongoing involvement. This can help them develop a sense of mastery in other areas and improve their self-esteem.
• Praising for effort – Children thrive off positive attention. Oftentimes, positive attention to behaviors we want to see more of increases that behavior.
  • Give positive praise to what the child is doing well as often as possible, such as for staying on task and for their persistence to a difficult homework assignment (“I love how hard you are working!”).
• Modeling positive self-talk –Set smart, attainable goals for your child and celebrate their wins.
  • Talk out loud about how you work through your own challenges in a child-friendly way.
  • Voice your own positive self-talk in front of your child.
  • Encourage the use of self-kindness in challenging situations, which can foster growth and independence (“This is tough, but I can do hard things”).
• Giving them breaks – Kids are all different and their need for time and breaks can be different. Setting them up for success will help them feel more confident around school work.
  • They may need more time switching between tasks or completing tasks.
  • Breaking down homework assignments, such as using a sticky note to cover up the second half of a math worksheet, can make the task appear less daunting to the child.
  • Set clear expectations and validate their emotions. For example, saying “We will work together on problems 1-5, then you can take a break.”
  • Give your child brief “brain breaks” or “movement breaks” as often as needed, which give the child an opportunity to move their bodies (i.e. stretch) or play with a fidget.
  • Visual timers can be helpful in easing the transitions to and from tasks.
• Using healthy habits – You can help children’s mental health by having some healthy habits. Putting these things in place can help them be more resilient when facing academic challenges.
  • Physical activity – Keeping kids active can help kids blow off steam, especially after sitting still for much of the school day. Incorporate exercise into your family’s daily routine. Spending time outside is a great way for kids to get active.
  • Diet - A healthy lifestyle can help improve mood. Focus on making healthy foods including the correct servings of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein and healthy fats when possible.
  • Routines – kids may be exhausted from holding it together throughout the school day. They may need some quiet time, a shower or physical activity before starting homework. They may need some time to decompress after completing homework, too.
  • Sleep – Developing a daily sleep schedule and routine with your child can help improve their sleep quality. Unwind and unplug together as part of the sleep routine.
• Working with Your Child’s School Team – Set them up for success at school. Talk with your child’s teacher, school counselor or administration to ensure your child is receiving the appropriate supports at school for their learning.
  • Share any diagnosis that you’ve received, concerns that you have and strategies that help at home.
  • The process of getting your child tested, diagnosed or receiving additional interventions can be overwhelming. We have materials on partnering with your child’s school, school interventions and accommodations and understanding IEPs, 504s and FBAs.

When to Seek More Help

If you notice your child withdrawing or behaving differently for more than 2 or 3 weeks, contact your pediatrician, your child’s school counselor or a mental health professional.

Helpful Resources

For more resources that may help you navigating your child’s particular concern, visit:

National Association for the Education of Young Children – Materials for Families

Education Programs | Stand Together