LD at a Glance: A Quick Look

Does your child make friends easily?

	Yes
	No

Meets all 20
of the Standards
for Charity Accountability

By NCLD Editorial Staff
Published: March 04 2009

LDs are specific neurological disorders that affect the brain's ability to store, process or communicate information.
"Specific learning disability" (SLD) is the term used in the federal law for any LD.
LDs can affect different aspects of learning and functioning — see the chart below for specific types of learning disabilities and related disorders.
LDs can be compensated for and even overcome through alternate ways of learning, accommodations and modifications.
According to the US Department of Education, LDs affect approximately 5% of all children enrolled in public schools.*
LDs can occur with other disorders (AD/HD, Information Processing Disorders).
LDs are NOT the same as mental retardation, autism, deafness, blindness, behavioral disorders or laziness.
LDs are not the result of economic disadvantage, environmental factors or cultural differences.

LD Terminology
Disability	Area of difficulty	Symptoms include trouble with:	Example
Dyslexia	Processing language	Reading, writing & spelling	Letters and words may be written or pronounced backwards
Dyscalculia	Math skills	Computation, remembering math facts, concepts of time & money	Difficulty learning to count by 2s, 3s, 4s
Dysgraphia	Written expression	Handwriting, spelling, composition	Illegible handwriting, difficulty organizing ideas
Dyspraxia	Fine motor skills	Coordination, manual dexterity	Trouble with scissors, buttons, drawing
Information Processing Disorders
Auditory Processing Disorder	Interpreting auditory information	Language development, reading	Difficulty anticipating how a speaker will end a sentence
Visual Processing Disorder	Interpreting visual information	Reading, writing & math	Difficulty distinguishing letters like "h" and "n"
Other Related Disorders
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD)	Concentration & focus	Over-activity, distractibility & impulsivity	Can't sit still, loses interest quickly