learning disabilities are the product of neurological "damage" which can occur either during fetal development and/or during the childhood years.
neurological "glitches" can be structural or functional, and the variations in development and behavior that result are unique to each individual (although patterns of behavior are often seen and can even be predicted and followed over time).
learning disabilities in adulthood can (often) be traced to neurological conditions in childhood that may or may not have been discovered or understood.
A Word of Caution
In our eagerness to provide help and opportunities for success to individuals with LD, it is often human nature to grab onto preventive measures and treatment approaches that have practical appeal, that "make sense" or that at worst, seem as thought they could do "no harm." Parents and educators often find themselves bombarded with information about purposed cures and treatments including special diets and therapies that "train the brain." In most cases, the treatments being suggested have little or no connection to the etiology (or source) of the problem and few have any real science behind them to demonstrate (or prove) their effectiveness. Keep in mind that:
if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
we should be suspicious of treatments that offer to "cure" LD or that are recommended for a laundry list of different types of problems.
we shouldn't pay attention to advertisements for products or approaches that promise results using words like "immediate," "complete," "guaranteed" and "remarkable."
an endorsement by a "doctor" is not sufficient to evaluate the credibility or efficacy of a product or approach.
learning to overcome the barriers imposed by LD is a life-long and ever-changing process, and one that should not be the cause of isolation or embarrassment; seek information and support at LD.org for reliable sources.
Sheldon H. Horowitz, Ed.D. is the Director of LD Resources & Essential Information at the National Center for Learning Disabilities.
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