Learning Disability

1. Learning Disability Signs , Symptoms and Solution

2. What is Learning Disability ? A learning disability is a neurological condition which affects the brain's ability to send, receive, and process information. A child with a learning disability may have difficulties in reading, writing, speaking, listening, understanding mathematical concepts, and with general disabilities include a group of disorders such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia. Each type of disorder may coexist with another. comprehension. Learning It is defined as a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken, or written, which may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, speak, read, spell or to do mathematical calculations.

3. What Causes Learning Disability ? Experts say that there is no single, specific cause for learning disabilities. However, there are some factors that could cause a learning disability: Heredity: It is observed that a child, whose parents have had a learning disability, is likely to develop the same disorder. Illness during and after birth: An illness or injury during or after birth may cause learning disabilities. Stress during infancy: A stressful incident after birth such as high fever, head injury, or poor nutrition. Environment: Increased exposure to toxins such as lead (in paint, ceramics, toys, etc.) Comorbidity: Children with learning disabilities are at a higher- than-average risk for attention problems or disruptive behavior disorders.

4. How to identify Learning Disability ? Identifying a learning disability is a complex process. The first step is to rule out vision, hearing, and developmental issues that can overshadow the underlying learning disability. Once these tests are completed, a learning disability is identified using assessment, which includes testing along with a measure of intellectual capability. This test helps determine if there is any significant discrepancy between a child's potential and performance capability and the child's academic achievement or as we call it the school performance. psycho academic educational achievement

5. Signs of Learning Disability In the normal physiological development, the child is expected to acquire a certain set of basic cognition and motor skills. Any significant delay or gap in this development could be a sign of learning disability. The signs of Learning Disability may vary slightly during each stage of childhood. So, we have divided it into 3 groups which are as follows : Preschool: The child may have some of these difficulties in preschool. Developing speaking skills at normal age (15-18 months) when speech typically develops in children Pronouncing simple words Recognizing letters and words Learning numbers, rhymes, or songs Concentrating on tasks Following rules and directions Using fine/gross motor skills to do physical tasks

6. Primary School: The child may have difficulty in: Connecting letters and sounds Differentiating between similar sounding words or rhyming words Reading, spelling, or writing accurately Distinguishing right from left, for example, confusing 25 with 52, “b” with “d Recognizing letters of the alphabet Using correct mathematical symbols for doing math problems Remembering numbers or facts Learning new skills; the child may be slower than other children of his or her age Memorizing poems or answers Understanding the concept of time

7. Middle School: The child may have difficulty in: Spelling similar words (sea/see, week/weak), usage of prefixes, suffixes Reading aloud, writing assignments, solving word problems in maths (the child may avoid doing tasks involving these skills) Handwriting (child may grip the pencil tightly) Memorizing or recalling facts Understanding body language and facial expressions Showing appropriate emotional reactions in a learning environment (the child may behave in an aggressive or rebellious way, and react with an excess of emotion)

8. High School: The child may have difficulty in: Spelling words accurately (the child may write the same word with different spellings in a single writing assignment) Reading and writing tasks Summarizing, paraphrasing, problems or questions in tests Poor memory Adjusting to new surroundings Understanding abstract concepts Focusing consistently: the child may lack concentration on some tasks, while focusing excessively on others answering application

9. What are the Intervention and support options for Learning Disability ? A learning disability cannot be cured. However with timely intervention and support, children with learning disabilities can be successful in school. Parents and teachers are the first persons to notice that the child is finding it difficult to read, write or learn. If you think that your child may have a learning disability, seek help from a mental health expert or other trained specialists for the required intervention program or therapy. If your child has a learning disorder, your child's doctor or school might recommend: Extra help: A reading specialist or other trained professional can teach your child techniques to improve his or her academic skills. Tutors can also teach children organizational and study skills. Individualized Education Program (IEP): Your child's school or a special educator might develop an IEP that will describe how a child can best learn in school. Therapy: Depending on the learning disorder, some children might benefit from therapy. For example, speech therapy can help children who have language disabilities. Occupational therapy might help improve the motor skills of a child who has writing problems. Parents and experts need to set goals and assess if the child is improving with the selected mode of intervention and support. If not, alternative methods can be chosen to help the child.

10. Whom to approach for treatment ? Learning Disability is identified after a series of tests conducted by a team of specialists. The following specialists may work together to help diagnose and treat a child’s LD. Clinical Psychologist : Preferably a psychologist with a specialization in education. The Clinical Psychologist conducts specific intelligence test (such as Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children test) to determine whether the child’s intellectual functioning is normal. This helps to exclude borderline intellectual functioning and mild mental retardation, both of which may affect academic performance. Special Educator: They can assess the child’s academic achievement by administering standard educational tests (Wide Range Achievement Test, Peabody Individual Achievement Test, Woodcock-Johnson Achievement, Schonnel Attainment Test, Curriculum Based Test) to assess the child’s performance in areas like reading, spelling, written language, and mathematics. An academic achievement of two years below the child’s actual school grade or chronological age may indicate that the child has a specific learning disability. Counselor : They help in understanding behavior, checks for any behavioral issues, and for any problems that may exist due to poor home or school environment, or any emotional problems that may be the reason for the child's poor performance at school. Tests of

11. Pediatrician/ Pediatric Neurologist: If a learning disability is suspected, The pediatrician needs to enquire about the child's performance in school and guide the parents to get their assessment done. The pediatrician may also counsel the parents and class teacher about the usefulness of remedial education. A pediatric neurologist records detailed clinical history and does a thorough physical examination to exclude hypothyroidism, chronic lead poisoning; and neurological disorders such as cerebral palsy, Wilson’s disease, ADHD. Checks for behavioral issues at school and at home. Child Psychiatrist : Checks if there are symptoms of ADHD because it may coexist with any type of learning disability. The psychiatrist also checks for other disorders which may be the cause for poor academic performance. child's psycho-educational medical ailments like