What is Learning Disability?

Learning disability (sometimes called a learning disorder or learning difficulty), is a classification including several disorders in which a person has difficulty learning in a typical manner, usually caused by an unknown factor or factors.

A learning disability can cause a person to have trouble learning and using certain skills. The skills most often affected are:

—        reading,

—        writing, 

—        listening, 

—        speaking, 

—        reasoning,

—        doing math.

What Causes Them?

No one's exactly sure what causes learning disabilities. But researchers do have some theories as to why they develop, including:

·                       Genetic influences. Experts have noticed that learning disabilities tend to run in families and they think that heredity could play a role. However, researchers are still debating whether learning disabilities are, in fact, genetic, or if they show up in families because kids learn and model what their parents do.

·                       Brain development. Some experts think that learning disabilities can be traced to brain development, both before and after birth. For this reason, problems such as low birth weight, lack of oxygen, or premature birth may have something to do with learning disabilities. Young children who receive head injuries may also be at risk of developing learning disabilities.

·                       Environmental impacts. Infants and young kids are susceptible to environmental toxins (poisons). For example, you may have heard how lead (which can be found in some old homes in the form of lead paint or lead water pipes) is sometimes thought to contribute to learning disabilities. Poor nutrition early in life also may lead to learning disabilities later in life.

Researchers think that learning disabilities are caused by differences in how a person's brain works and how it processes information. Children with learning disabilities are not "dumb" or "lazy." In fact, they usually have average or above average intelligence. Their brains just process information differently.

Common Types of Learning Disabilities

—        Dyslexia

—        Dyscalculia

—        Dysgraphia 

—        Dyspraxia (Sensory Integration Disorder)

—        Auditory Processing Disorder

—        Visual Processing Disorder