Learning Disability

Learning Disability

When children have a learning disability, the first to notice is usually the parents. A learning disability is a neurological disorder. In layman's terms, that means the brain of a person with a learning disability is differently "wired" from that of a person without such disability.

Thus, a child with a learning disability could be as smart, or even smarter than his or her peers. The only difference is that the child may have difficulty in performing certain activities, such as reading, writing, spelling, reasoning, recalling and/or organizing information, if left to figure things out by himself or if taught in conventional methods.

If your child has a learning disability, the first thing you need to consider is the fact that it can never be cured or fixed. Such disability is a lifelong issue. But a child with a learning disability can go on and become successful in school as well as life, if given the right support and the right intervention.

What are the common forms of learning disability?

There are many types of learning disabilities affecting children and even adults. In fact, according to the National Institutes of Health, a total of 15% of the US population is suffering from a form of learning disability. That is equivalent to one in seven Americans.

The most common forms of learning disabilities are:

* Dyslexia
* Dyscalculia
* Dysgraphia
* Auditory and Visual Processing Disorders
* Nonverbal Learning Disabilities

Dyslexia

As a common form of learning disability, dyslexia is a type of language-based disability. A person with dyslexia, called a dyslexic, often has trouble understanding written words. Thus, it is most often referred to as a reading disability or reading disorder.

Dyscalculia

This form of learning disability has to do with a person's mathematical skills. Apparently, a person with dyscalculia has a difficult time solving arithmetic problems and grasping math concepts.

Dysgraphia

Dysgraphia is somewhat related to dyslexia. However, while dyslexia is a reading disorder, dysgraphia refers to the learning disability of a person who finds it hard to form letters or write within a defined space. A person with dysgraphia usually has no trouble reading letters, but they have trouble forming these letters.

Auditory and Visual Processing Disorders

These refer to sensory disabilities in which a person has difficulty understanding language. A person with this kind of learning disability has normal hearing and vision.

Nonverbal Learning Disabilities

Originating in the right hemisphere of the brain, nonverbal learning disabilities are a kind of neurological disorder that causes a person to have problems with his visual-spatial, intuitive, organizational, evaluative, and holistic processing functions.



A person with a learning disability should be distinguished from someone with autism or mental retardation. Learning disability is also distinct from Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD).