A learning disability is a neurological disorder. In simple terms, a learning disability results from a difference in the way a person’s brain is “wired.” Children with learning disabilities are as smart or smarter than their peers. But they may have difficulty reading, writing, spelling, reasoning, recalling and/or organizing information if left to figure things out by themselves or if taught in conventional ways.
A learning disability treatment in delhi can’t be cured or fixed. it is a lifelong issue. With the right support and intervention, however, children with learning disabilities can succeed in school and go on to successful, often distinguished careers later in life. Parents can help children with learning disabilities achieve such success by encouraging their strengths, knowing their weaknesses, understanding the educational system, working with professionals and learning about strategies for dealing with specific difficulties.
Not all great minds think alike. Did you know that Albert Einstein couldn’t read until he was nine? Walt Disney had trouble reading all his life.
Facts about learning disabilities
Difficulty with basic reading and language skills are the most common learning disabilities. As many as 80% of students with learning disabilities have reading problems.
Learning disabilities often run in families.
Learning disabilities should not be confused with other disabilities such as autism, intellectual disability, deafness, blindness and behavioral disorders. None of these conditions are learning disabilities. In addition, they should not be confused with lack of educational opportunities like frequent changes of schools or attendance problems. Also, children who are learning English do not necessarily have a learning disability.
Attention disorders, such as Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and learning disabilities often occur at the same time, but the two disorders are not the same.
Common learning disabilities
Dyslexia – a language-based disability in which a person has trouble understanding written words. It may also be referred to as reading disability or reading disorder.
Dyscalculia – a mathematical disability in which a person has a difficult time solving arithmetic problems and grasping math concepts.
Dysgraphia – a writing disability in which a person finds it hard to form letters or write within a defined space.
Auditory and Visual Processing Disorders – sensory disabilities in which a person has difficulty understanding language despite normal hearing and vision.
Nonverbal Learning Disabilities – a neurological disorder which originates in the right hemisphere of the brain, causing problems with visual-spatial, intuitive, organizational, evaluative and holistic processing functions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a learning disability mean my child is less intelligent?
No. Children with learning disabilities are generally as able as their peers. The difficulty lies in how particular information is processed, such as reading, writing, spelling or arithmetic.
What are the common types?
The ones seen most often are dyslexia, which affects reading, dysgraphia, which affects writing, and dyscalculia, which affects arithmetic. A child can have more than one, and attention difficulties often sit alongside them.
How is a learning disability diagnosed?
Through a structured assessment rather than a single test. It usually combines school reports, a developmental history, and standardised testing of reading, writing, arithmetic, attention and reasoning.
At what age can it be assessed?
Concerns are often first raised in the early school years. A formal assessment is usually possible once a child has had enough schooling for the gap to be measurable, and support at school can begin before that.
Is there a medicine for it?
There is no medication for a learning disability itself. The support is educational: targeted remedial teaching, changes to how work is set and marked, and accommodations at school. Where ADHD or anxiety is present alongside it, that is assessed and treated separately.
Does a diagnosis help at school?
Usually, yes. A documented assessment is what schools and examination boards use when granting accommodations such as extra time or a scribe.
Medically reviewed by
Dr. Manish Sarkar , MBBS, DPM (NIMHANS), FIPS, FADP
This page is for general information and is not a substitute for a consultation. Treatment is decided individually after assessment.