Learning Disabilities

Parents are often the first to recognize learning disabilities in their child or children. Parents want reliable information concerning the disability in order to better help their child succeed. Learning disabilities are neurological disorders and are often caused by the wiring in the brain. Many children with a learning disability are just as smart as their classmates, often smarter. A disability can include difficulty with reading, writing, spelling or other function that cannot be performed. These disabilities often cannot be cured and the child will need to learn new strategies to best cope with their disability.

Many children feel as if they are alone with their learning disabilities but this is not true. Fifteen percent of the population has a learning disability. Language skills and reading difficulties are the most common problems. It is also found that these disabilities run in families. When speaking of learning disabilities, this does not include autism, behavior disorders or mental retardation. These are not considered learning disabilities. The most common learning disabilities are dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, nonverbal learning disorder and auditory/visual disorders. Tests can be given either by your child’s school or their pediatrician to discover exactly which learning disability is causing any trouble.

Today teachers and parents are discovering more about ways to help their children with their learning disabilities. New research is going on daily and will provide educators with new ways to help these students. Knowing how your child learns best will help you to better educate your child and build their self-esteem. Many children with a learning disability also excel at other things such as music or sports. Parents and teachers should remember not to fully focus on a child’s’ shortcomings but encourage the child to study, complete tasks and to reach for their goals. Take time to discover your child’s learning style and you will most likely see a significant improvement.