Although learning disabilities occur in very young children, the disorders are usually not recognized until the child reaches school age. This is because learning disabilities are usually identified by school teachers and psychologists through testing of intelligence, academics and processes of learning.
Learning disabilities, until now, have been believed to be lifelong conditions. In some people, several overlapping disabilities may be apparent. Other people may have a single, isolated learning problem that has little impact on their lives.
Types of Learning Disabilities
In the United States and Canada, the term learning disability is used to refer to psychological and neurological conditions that affect a person’s communicative capacities and potential to be taught effectively.
The term includes such conditions as: Dysgraphia, which is a neurological condition characterized by distorted and incorrect handwriting, and Dyslexia, a reading disorder.
Dyscalculia is a neurological condition characterized by a problem with learning fundamentals and one or more of the basic numerical skills.
Often people with this condition can understand very complex mathematical concepts and principles but have difficulty processing formulas and even basic addition and subtraction.
Verbal Dyspraxia is a neurological condition characterized by marked difficulty in the use of speech sounds, which may be the result of a delay in the normal development of the speech production area of the brain.
Dyspraxia is a neurological condition characterized by a marked difficulty in carrying out routine tasks involving balance, fine-motor control, and kinesthetic coordination.
Developmental aphasia is a loss or impairment of the ability to produce and/or comprehend language, due to brain dysfunction or damage.
LD or ADHD
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is often studied in connection with learning disabilities, but it is not actually included in the standard definitions of learning disabilities.
An individual with ADHD may struggle with learning, but he or she can often learn adequately once successfully treated for the ADHD.
A person can have ADHD but not learning disabilities or have learning disabilities without having ADHD.
Some believe the conditions can co-occur, however their etiologies, and true presentation are very different.
Children with learning disabilities tend to avoid tasks which are difficult for them and they are often said to “lack attention” while their behavior is actually “task avoidance”.
Someone with a learning disability does not necessarily have low or high intelligence, nor any deficit in their innate ability to learn.
It simply means this individual has an impairment in their learning ability due to a processing disorder such as auditory processing or visual processing that may be detrimental to mainstream teaching methods.
The most common treatments for learning disabilities are special education, tutoring, medication (for attention and concentration) and psychological services (behavioural).
These treatments are directed towards compensating for disabilities and weaknesses while trying to increase ability.
Read More at
Brain Balance
Posts
