Learning Disabilities

There are a lot of myths about learning disabilities.  One is that learning disabilities are simply learning differences.  While it can be said that everyone learns in their unique way, this is not the same as having a learning disability. Another common misconception is that the child with a learning disability is lazy or just not trying hard enough.  In fact, the child or teen having a learning disability may be trying much harder than the child without such a disability just to get through the school day and complete daily tasks.  Kid with learning disabilities are not less smart or less motivated than other children.  They have a neurological disorder which impairs the way they process certain types of information or sensory input.

Many of the conditions listed within our pages section tend to accompany learning disabilities.  For example it is not uncommon for individuals with an autism spectrum disorder, Asperger's Syndrome, ADHD or epilepsy to also have some sort of learning disability. 

There are many types of learning disabilities and it is my desire to cover them all in this blog.  But for the time being here are some of the more common types of learning disabilties:

• Dyslexia:  Usually dyslexia most comes to mind when we talk about  learning disabilities.  The individual who has this learning disability has difficulty reading.  They may also have problems writing, spelling, and speaking.
  
  
• Dyscalculia:  This is a type of learning disability where the child or adult has difficulty making calculations or doing math. 
  
  
• Dysgraphia:  Individuals with dysgraphia have problems with handwriting, spelling, and organizing their ideas in written form.
  
  
• Dyspraxia:  The child, teen, or adult having this learning disability has difficulty executing fine motor skills.  This type of learning disability is not uncommon for individuals who have an autism spectrum disorder.
  
  
• Dysphasia (Aphasia):  Persons diagnosed with this disorder have trouble with receptive language skills including understanding/processing both written and verbal language.
  
  
• Auditory Processing Disorder:  The individual with this type of learning disability has difficulty processing distinct sounds.  Thus, they may have trouble understanding spoken communication.  They may also have difficulty reading.  This is also a common learning disability for those who have an autism spectrum disorder.
  
  
• Visual Processing Disorder:  This learning disability may affect the affected individual's ability to process visual information including making sense of charts, graphs, and maps.

In looking over this list my two children have three of these learning disabilities between them.  I can tell you as a parent that learning disabilities can make school work especially frustrating.  Oh the stories I have to tell!  And I am sure you do too.

Here are some resources to get you started on your journey to learn more about learning disabilities.  We will be adding to this list and updating as we can.   Remember that we are not responsible for the usefulness of any information provided by external links.  Read at your own discretion.

Learning Disability Resources:

• National Center for Learning Disabilities
  
  
• LD OnLine
  
  
• Learning Disabilities Association of America
  
  
• National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities