Learning Disabilities

Learning Disabilities

Approximately 10 percent of the adult population have learning disabilities. Learning disabilities also affect about 5 to 10 percent of school-age children. Most disabilities occur in math, spelling, reading comprehension, oral expression, and written language. The most common learning disabilities are in reading. Children with learning disabilities also have problems with attention, memory, and behavioral problems as a result of frustration. The term "learning disabilities" covers a combination of possible causes, symptoms, treatments, and outcomes.

What is a learning disability? With at least twelve definitions that appear in professional literature, there is no exact definition. Most experts agree that the learning disabled have difficulties with academic achievement and progress and that discrepancies exist between a person's potential for learning and what he actually learns. Learning problems are not due to environmental disadvantages, mental retardation, or emotional disturbance. The learning disabled also show an uneven pattern of language, physical, academic, or perceptual development. A learning disability is a disorder, which affects people's abilities to interpret what they see and hear or to link information from different parts of the brain.

The regulations for Public Law (PL) 101-476, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and the Education of the Handicapped Act (EHA) define a learning disability as a "disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using spoken or written language, which may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations." ...

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...gging. The parents need to be a model for their child because children often look up to their parents. The parent is very important to the child's success.

Learning disabilities affect six million adults according to The Foundation for Children With Learning Disabilities. That number will only increase as the population grows. Therefore, it is extremely important that learning disabilities are recognized in childhood. Once a child is actually diagnosed, the school and family can work together for the child. Then improvements can be made in the child's work and ability.

Sources

The ABC's of LD and ADD. LD Online.

*http://www.ldonline.org/abc_info/articles-info.html

About Learning Disorders. CDI Page.

*http://www.cdipage.com/learning_disabilties.shtml

Folse, Rene Thomas. Learning Disabilities.

*http://www.childpsychologist.com/ld/learning.html