Assessing Your Child’s Needs During Distance Learning


Assessing Your Child's Needs During Distance LearningVista’s Reiss-Davis Child Study Center Provides Evaluations to help parents understand why their child might be having a difficult time adapting to distance learning

One of the most pressing concerns parents have expressed to us in the past year has been, “why is my child having such a difficult time adapting to distance learning?”

Dr. Blanchard (Psy.D.) and P.E.D.S Program Director of Vista’s Reiss-Davis Child Study Center explains that “a classroom provides a consistent structure which typically benefits most children. Without it, some children may struggle to complete assignments, stay engaged in the curriculum, or initiate school work.”

For parents, this could be a situation where a child who previously thrived at school is now struggling at home during distance learning. Conversely, a parent may have been aware of a learning issue that their child was having, but not to the full extent of the impact it was having on their school day. Dr. Blanchard adds that “parents are now with their child while in class, seeing firsthand how difficult of a time they are having.” In both of these scenarios, parents want to know what they can do to help.

Dr. Blanchard shares that “understanding their child’s learning style, including their strengths and weaknesses, can help a child adjust to the difficulties of learning from home. A full psychological evaluation and assessment can provide parents with a comprehensive working of their child’s brain.” The Reiss-Davis Child Study Center’s P.E.D.S program provides comprehensive psycho-educational evaluations for many of the issues children are experiencing due to the stressful environment created by the pandemic This includes testing for learning disabilities, attention deficit evaluations, accommodations assessments, and psychological testing. The results include recommendations for additional accommodations and services.

We know that this is a challenging time for parents, which is why assessments can be such a crucial tool in helping your child thrive in any classroom setting. For more information on the P.E.D.S service offered through the Reiss-Davis Child Study Center and Graduate program, please visit https://vistadelmar.org/services/mental-health-and-wellness/#PEDS or call Dr. Blanchard directly at (310) 204-1666 ext. 307.