Learning Disabilities

For people who have a learning disability, it doesn't mean that they can't learn, and it's not uncommon either. Usually a learning disability happens due to the way we process information in our brains. It is why people learn differently, and that is why everyone first has to figure out how they learn best.

Parents, teachers and other learning specialists such as a school psychologist can help figure out what a child's learning problem is - and then come up with ideas for how to improve it.
Learning disabilities are not contagious, but they can be genetic, meaning that they can be passed down in families through the genes. There may even be some other family members who have had some learning troubles as well.

One common learning disability is known as "dyslexia," which is a learning disability that means a child has a lot of trouble reading and writing. Kids who have trouble with math may have a learning disability called "dyscalculia," while people who have trouble forming letters when they write may have what is know as "dysgraphia."

Other kids may have language disorders, meaning they have trouble understanding language and understanding what they read. It can be confusing, though. What qualifies as "trouble" enough to be diagnosed with a learning disability? Reading, doing math, and writing letters may be tough for lots of kids at first. But when those early troubles don't disappear, and there is little or no progress, it's possible the child has a learning disability.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is also sometimes misdiagnosed as a learning disability. Children with ADHD can learn in school without special assistance, even though they may be easily distracted. ADHD itself isn't a learning disability, researchers believe kids with ADHD may be more likely to have learning disabilities.

How do you know if your child has a learning disability? Maybe he or she read a chapter of one of their school books and then can't remember anything. Or in class, maybe everyone else seems to follow along easily, but your child gets stuck and doesn't know what page everyone else is on. here are some other questions to determine possible learning disorders:
Does your child struggle in school?
Do you think he or she should be doing better in school?
Is reading harder for your child than you think it should be?
Is your child's handwriting slow?
Does your child make spelling errors?
Are they having difficulty with math?
Is it hard for your child to stay organized? Do they lose things or forget them?

But even if you said "yes" to these questions, you won't know for sure until you have gone to a psychologist or learning specialist. They will give your child tests to determine any learning problems, and they should also be able to identify what your child's strengths are. Once a psychologist or learning specialist figures out what the learning problem is, you and your child can both work towards solving the problem.

-- Rocco Basile