Children from low income families experience vision impairment and hearing difficulties at a much higher rate than normal. This not only can effect early development and school readiness but also can lead to emotional and behavioral problems. Untreated vision problems can create symptoms similar to ADHD and cause some children to be misidentified as having a learning disorder. Children who experience hearing loss can experience delayed speech and language skills. They may not want to talk or play with other kids and have difficulty making friends.
The Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading is committed to collaborating within the community to move the needle on these important health determinants of early school success.