[ambivalentlythere]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask this but here I go.

I was wondering if anyone knows where an adult would go to get screened for a learning disability in Ontario (Canada), would a psychiatrist or therapist be able to do this? Or do universities possibly provide screening for students?

Thanks!

[thunderbear]

Hi. I would talk to my psychatrist. They ought to know how to go about getting tested. Also check with your genral physicain.

[sunflower55]

What type of disability do you think you may have?

If it's ADD or ADHD, (which are not technically learning disabilities, but, interfer with learning),there are self help tests right here on the PC site; just go to the quizzes section. It's not definitive, but, they will tell you if you should follow up with a professional or not.

If you feel you have dyslexia then you probably know already. That one is pretty hard to miss. Seeing letters and numbers backwards; reversing the orders of them and in the worst cases, not even seeing them in a straight line and more.

Is it cognitive? Do you have memory problems? That may, or may not, signal a learning disability. Did you ever learn any learning techniques when you were in school? Nmumonic, (sp?) devices? Like Every Good Boy Does Fine for the lines on the music scale (EGBDF). There are multiple learning skills that can be easily learned and can be found in books. Search at a decent bookstore and you'll find them. From study skills to test taking skills, you'll find multiple ones. Those two types should be sufficient; I teach them to my students.

I hope this is helpful. If you have any further questions, please ask. If you can be specific about what your problem is, I can try to tailor my answer.

Peace!

[Christina86]

Hello!

Ottawa, Ontario resident here!! I got tested for an LD (called a "learning assessment") as an adult by a psychologist.

Psychiatrist might be able to do it, but they generally focus on mental disorders instead.

Therapists, depending on the training MIGHT be able to do it.

But honestly, through insurance - get a doctors note saying you need the assessment done. Then get to a psychologist specializing in learning assessments/disabilities or who is an "educational psychologist". Then you do have to pay first yourself (usually) but then you submit the bill payments/receipts to your insurance along with the doctors note - you'll get most of it back!!

Universities do learning assessments, but only if you're a student. Are you a student at a university/college?? If there is a disability centre for students there, you can go and they'll point you toward someone.

If you're in Ottawa though - PM me and I'll give you the name/number of the man I saw. He was good! Although for three DAYS of testing (one day to meet, two days of testing... 2-3 hours each day) and the one day to meet a few weeks later to go through the results, cost me over a grand.

If you're covered by the BSWD through OSAP, it will be covered through them though!!

[ambivalentlythere]

Well I'm not really sure what it could be. I did take the quiz and the probability that I have ADD/ADHD was high. However, it also said that this doesn't develop in adult hood and I feel like during my childhood/teenage years I wouldn't fit the criteria. I'm pretty sure it's not dyslexia.

Yes, my memory is very bad. But I am clinically depressed which makes it extremely difficult to study because most of the time I am unable to focus and concentrate so things don't sink in. Also, my study skills I think are probably next to nothing and I believe that I have social anxiety since most of the time being on campus or in class was extremely difficult. I don't really know what the problem is, it just feels like I really messed up, but I really did try. I do get stressed out before tests, but i think it's more than just stress. It's more than drawing a blank, a lot of times (sometimes at the beginning of the test or a bit into it) my mind just doesn't register what it reads. I have to read the question over several times before it sinks in. The thing that really frustrated me was that for one of my classes the prof said that he designs his tests in a way that if we attend lecture and do the readings we should get an ok grade. I not only attended lectures and did readings but I studied and I barely passed his tests. I feel like I just can't grasp things. During group work I'm usually completely lost. I receive the same instructions as everyone else does, but I either have no idea what we're suppose to do, or I'm way off. I feel like I might as well be attending a school in a foreign country where the language they teach in is unkown to me. I know that something isn't right, things should be turning out this way, not when I'm trying.

[ambivalentlythere]

Christina, thanks for your reply. I have a much better idea of how to go about this.

Unfortunately I don't have insurance. And I'm not getting OSAP either. I am in uni but on a part time basis only. Those were the terms of my acceptance. I'll check to see if they have a disability center, but I'm pretty sure that even if they do, it won't be available to me since I am only part time and don't have access to many things the uni provides for their regular students. I'm just outside of Toronto but thanks for the offer

[Christina86]

You can apply for insurance through your university, even if you're a PT student I believe. Too bad you're outside TDot, it would have been nice to help more!

Most universities have a disability centre ... sometimes it's through their health services, but it's "equity" or "equality" or student services... academic accommodations... or called something along those lines. It should be listed on your university's website.

If you do wind up classified as having an LD though, you can qualify for PT student OSAP - including all of the disability bursaries and stuff.

Sorry I can't be of more help! If I can help anymore, even with Ontario/Toronto research (I've got friends there) then let me know!

Originally Posted by ambivalentlythere

Christina, thanks for your reply. I have a much better idea of how to go about this.

Unfortunately I don't have insurance. And I'm not getting OSAP either. I am in uni but on a part time basis only. Those were the terms of my acceptance. I'll check to see if they have a disability center, but I'm pretty sure that even if they do, it won't be available to me since I am only part time and don't have access to many things the uni provides for their regular students. I'm just outside of Toronto but thanks for the offer

[ambivalentlythere]

Thanks so much for all of that info Christina, you've been sooo helpful. I really had no idea where to even start. So, all that info is really great. I'm going to look into the kinds of services that my school offers. I didn't know about insurence for PT students either,so, i think I'll look into that too.

And don't mean to sound daft here but what do you mean by Ontario/Toronto research?

anyways, thanks again!

[GrayNess]

I'm a fellow Ontarioan in university, I assume a good place for it would be CAMH (Center for Addiction and Mental Health), a rather large facility for mental disorders located at the downtown toronto university campus. You may need a referral there or not, I'm not sure. I went there for a bit, then went to METFORS (forensic psychiatry institute) but both of those times were strictly for testing only.

[ambivalentlythere]

Thank you GrayNess I will check those two places out.

[sunflower55]

Glad you're getting some support.
Since you say you're depressed and anxious, are you on medications?
If so, these can interfer with memory too.
Check with your doctor.

Peace!

[coralproper]

hmmm.....no clue, but when I was removed from a antisocial society....no literal school for a duration or mainstream contact, I was placed in a little room.........somewhere in florida....tested and tested and tested

then I had a idea..........if I just start to christmastree the testing and give them the written answers they wanted, they would just leave me alone...in due time, I got moved around a little, then it seemed their intrest faded

I do not like and am not receptive to testing.....do you really need it.....some do

I found most my answers...in my consciousness (if thats what it is) since I had to learn to read people before I could read books

[Christina86]

Originally Posted by ambivalentlythere

Thanks so much for all of that info Christina, you've been sooo helpful. I really had no idea where to even start. So, all that info is really great. I'm going to look into the kinds of services that my school offers. I didn't know about insurence for PT students either,so, i think I'll look into that too.

And don't mean to sound daft here but what do you mean by Ontario/Toronto research?

anyways, thanks again!

Oh, if you needed information about possible places to get tested for a learning disability, I know people in Toronto that I can get information from. Sorry better phrasing isn't my strong suit.

[GrayNess]

Originally Posted by ambivalentlythere

Thank you GrayNess I will check those two places out.

Probably won't need to check out METFORS unless you have far more than a learning disorder. CAMH should be suitable, unless there's another place I don't know about.

[ambivalentlythere]

Thank you No I'm not currently on any medication.

[ambivalentlythere]

That sounds pretty scary coralproper, this was for a learning disorder??

I'd like to get tested because I'm currently in university and things are going pretty badly. I'm not sure if it's only due to depression and anxiety, but it seems like maybe there's something more going on, if that's the case than I would like to know. I want to do well and I want to go far, and I just feel like whatever I'm doing is really not working, but it should be. I should be getting much better grades fro as much effort as I put into it.

[ambivalentlythere]

Lol ok, no worries sometimes I just don't get stuff. Thanks again for all your help, if I come up with nothing I'll ask you

Originally Posted by Christina86

Oh, if you needed information about possible places to get tested for a learning disability, I know people in Toronto that I can get information from. Sorry better phrasing isn't my strong suit.

[coralproper]

scary, confused, etc...I still dont know what they really wanted...or do i

lets just say I was born in 1975....1985....1989-1990 is when I started to live though

not sure who they really were, I know the ones/one of..... I trusted the most was liars though, they were or were posing as professionals though

I guess I am trying to say, alot of answers we already were born with ..imo

sorry..not much help...im working on that