Kelly (2018) defines a child’s processing speed as the pace or speed at which he/she takes in information, decodes it (making sense of the information), and begins to respond accordingly. In essence, the information under consideration could be auditory such as spoken language or visual such as letters, numbers, or charts. However, the above definition and description are in no way a connotation of how intelligent the child is; rather, it refers to how fast the child internalizes, decodes the information, and uses it. Moreover, slow processing speed is singularly an attention or learning disorder.
Statistically, almost every child is faster at the age of twelve as opposed to seven, and even faster at age sixteen (Breaten, 2018). Despite it being an abstract concept, the processing speed can be measured, and this is achieved by comparing the subject (child) to his or her peers. In this regard, since the child’s processing speed increases with age, the child will be faster as they age. As such, a grade-schooler with a low processing speed will be much faster in middle school, but he or she will still likely be slower in processing information compared to his or her peers. However, this is not to mean that this is a permanent situation as some kids processing speed might catch up with their peers as they progress and develop. Nonetheless, the above assertion cannot be generalized since only a small percentage of the kids with low processing speed catch up with their peers.
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To paint a picture of what slow processing speed looks like in a child, a parent or teacher could consider the time taken by the child to complete simple assignments. For instance, a child might take two hours to complete a mathematics task that naturally takes other kids twenty minutes. Additional evidence could be flopping or performing poorly in tests despite the child being acquainted with all the course materials. Besides, the child could have difficulties with multi-step directions, especially if the task is time-limited.
Nonetheless, seeking out these signs is not limited to the school environment alone. Indeed, a parent at home or a psychologist can notice the tell-tale signs by observing them when taking part in their daily activities. For instance, when a child with slow processing speed sees letters that form a certain word, he or she might not immediately decode the letters and make out the corresponding word. In essence, these children have first to develop a formula they can use to consolidate the letters and form the meaning of the group of letters in front of them. Essentially, by no means does his or her slowness mean that the child cannot read the word; rather, it implies that the process that is automatic and quick in other kids is slower and takes more effort for him or her.
So what can teachers, parents, and other guardians do to aid the child in increasing his or her processing speed? Or is this a permanent phenomenon? Slow processing speed is not a permanent problem, and as such, can be improved. One notable way of improving the speed as noted by Breaten (2018) is through the practice of a specific problematic skill. As the author elaborates, repeating a certain task eases its difficulty making it more automatic and quicker to process, a tenet that has been proven through research. For instance, if the child struggles in mathematics, practising the multiplication table could help ease undertaking the arithmetic process.
Additionally, speed can be improved through helping the child work on his or her organization and planning skills. This strategy helps them ascertain and improve on the time they take to complete a certain task. However, if the child’s slow processing speed is comorbid with ADHD, corresponding medication could suffice. In undertaking all the above and other additional strategies, it is essential for the involved adult to maintain positivity and support the child.
References
Breaten, E. (2018). Can processing speed ever improve? Understood . Retrieved from https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/information-processing-issues/can-processing-speed-ever-improve
Kelly, K. (2018). Processing speed: What you need to know. Understood . Retrieved from https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/information-processing-issues/processing-speed-what-you-need-to-know
