What are Learning Disabilities?

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LD Basics | LD Explained | Basic Facts

What are Learning Disabilities?

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By NCLD Editorial Staff
Published: March 4 2009

What Are Learning Disabilities?

Learning disabilities (LDs) are real. They affect the brain's ability to receive, process, store, respond to, and communicate information. LDs are actually a group of neurological disorders, not a single disorder.

LD is not the same thing as mental retardation or autism. People with LD are of average or above-average intelligence and do not have any major sensory problems such as blindness or hearing impairment or cognitive challenges like mental retardation. Still, they may struggle to keep up with people of the same age in acquiring basic academic skills and in daily functioning. These skills are essential for success in school, work, and life. So it is important to seek help for learning disabilities.

How can you tell if someone has a learning disability?

One sign of a learning disability is a distinct gap between a person's level of expected achievement and what he actually is achieving. But LDs affect every person differently. And they differ at various stages of development. LDs can range from mild to severe. And sometimes people have more than one learning disability. In addition, about one-third of people with LD also have Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD). This makes it difficult to concentrate or stay focused on specific tasks. LD may also affect a person's social-emotional skills and behavior. But having LD does not mean you are lazy or that you have a behavioral disorder.

Learning disabilities can affect a person's ability in the areas of:

Listening
Speaking
Reading
Writing
Spelling
Reasoning
Mathematics

See the chart below for specific types of learning disabilities and related disorders.

What causes learning disabilities?

Experts aren't exactly sure what causes learning disabilities. In fact, there is often no apparent cause for LD. LD may be due to:

Heredity. Often learning disabilities run in a family. People with LD may have parents or other relatives with similar difficulties.
Problems during pregnancy and birth. An illness or injury during or before birth may cause an LD. Drug and alcohol use during pregnancy, low birth weight, lack of oxygen, and premature or prolonged labor may also lead to an LD.
Incidents after birth. Head injuries, poor nutrition, and exposure to toxins such as lead can contribute to LD.

Learning disabilities are not caused by economic disadvantage or cultural differences. Exposure to harmful toxins such as lead, tobacco, or alcohol at early stages of development is more common in low-income communities. This, therefore, could be contributing to a higher prevalence of LD.

Are learning disabilities common?

Today, almost 2.5 million school-aged children in the U.S. have specific learning disabilities (SLD) and receive some kind of special education support.¹ These numbers do not include children in private and religious schools or those who are home-schooled.

Studies show that LDs do not fall evenly across racial and ethnic groups. For instance, in 2001, 1% of white children and 2.6% of non-Hispanic black children were receiving LD-related special education services.² The same studies suggest that this has something to do with economic status and not ethnic background.

What can you do about learning disabilities?

Learning disabilities are a lifelong challenge. Although they won't go away, they don't have to stop a person from achieving goals. A learning disability is not a disease, so there is no cure, but there are ways to overcome the challenges it poses through identification and Glossary Link accommodation.

Identification

If you suspect that someone has an LD, it is important to collect observations by parents, teachers, doctors, and others regularly in contact with that person. If there are signs of repeated struggle or frustration with learning over a period of time, the next step is to seek help from school or consult a learning specialist and seek an evaluation.

LD in Children

Early identification – the earlier, the better – is vital in helping a child to succeed academically and socially. Observe the way your child develops language, motor coordination, and social skills. Even preschoolers can show signs of risk for LD.

Do you think your child is displaying signs of a learning disability? Don't panic. Not all children who are slow to develop skills have LD. Regardless, share your concerns with classroom teachers and others who come in contact with your child.

If your child does have a learning disability, early intervention with specialized teaching strategies can help to overcome difficulties. Learn as much as you can and help your child understand that he or she is not alone: other children struggle, too, and adults are there to help.

LD in Adults

It is never too late to get help for a learning disability. Finding out about a learning disability can be a great relief to adults who could not explain the reason for their struggles in the past. Testing specialists and assistance are available for people of all ages. Taking the initiative to seek out support and services is the first step to coping with a learning disability and leading a more successful life.

Accommodations and Modifications

Once a learning disability is identified, different kinds of assistance can be provided. In addition to specialized, explicit types of instruction, children with LD are entitled to have accommodations (such as extended time, readers, and note-takers) or modifications (such as abbreviated tests or alternate assignments) as appropriate. These guarantees are afforded to children with LD by law.

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1997 and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, people of all ages with LD – children and adults – are protected against discrimination and have a right to different forms of assistance in the classroom and workplace.

Depending on your age and the type of learning disability and its severity, different kinds of assistance can be provided. Consider a variety of strategies when planning instruction and support. A person may benefit from help by both specialists and those who are closest to the person. Try different ideas and openly exchange thoughts on what works best.

LD Terminology
Disability	Area of difficulty	Symptoms include trouble with:	Example
Dyslexia	Processing language	Reading, writing, and spelling	Letters and words may be written or pronounced backwards
Dyscalculia	Math skills	Computation, remembering math facts, concepts of time and 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, and math	Difficulty distinguishing letters like "h" and "n"
Other Related Disorders
Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD)	Concentration and focus	Over-activity, distractibility, and impulsivity	Can't sit still, loses interest quickly

¹ Data Accountability Center. “Part B Child Count, 2008.” http://www.ideadata.org/PartBChildCount.asp (23 June 2010).

² Executive Summary, National Research Council, 2001

This article is made possible by a grant from the American Legion Child Welfare Foundation.

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22 Comments

Sadly said in my observation of society and human care, we are still some what barbaric in treatment of the moderate to severely mentally impaired people in our society. Money holds the key to treatment without it your lost! What could one do? First getting basic testing to determine the severity of the disorder and the type, then see if there is any treatment plan. A major change of diet is the first order that God might suggest. Minerals in multiform,Vitamins like D are a good start and cheap to come by. These have to be taken everyday continuously if improvement is to be obtained. Lacking essential nutrients will impair the brain over time and so will food allergens. Start here. Good luck!

Posted by: Terence on Thursday, 02 February 2012
buena informacion chida

Posted by: alkjdjjenjd on Wednesday, 18 January 2012
Esto interesado en recibir informacion relacionada la incapacidad, ya que estoy en proceso de realizar mi tesis de maestria. gracias por tado informacion que puedan suministrar

Posted by: ernandts@hotmail.com on Monday, 16 January 2012
Disculpen la molestia pero me urge informarme sobre las franquicias de autos para personas con discapacidad, mi hijo de 23 años tiene capacidades diferentes, y en las concecionarias que he averiguado me dicen que no me conviene y me ofrecen planes inalcansables economicamente, desde ya muchas gracias, por favor espero una respuesta, aunque sea que me indiquen donde debo dirigirme.

Posted by: María Celia G. Tebes on Friday, 13 January 2012
Disculpen las molestias pero necesitaria informarme sobre franquicias en los autos para personas con discapacidad, mi hijo de 23 años tiene capacidades diferentes y necesitaria urgente informarme, en las concecionarias que he visitado me dicen que no conviene, y me ofrecen planes inalcansables economicamente, desde ya muchas gracias, por favor espero una respuesta.

Posted by: María Celia G. Tebes on Friday, 13 January 2012
Necesito saber sobre las franquisias para la compra de autos para personas con discapacidad,mi hijo de 23 años tiene capacidades diferentes, y necesitaria con caracter de urgente saber sobre el tema, ya q en todas las concesionarias q he visitado me dicen q no conviene, desde ya muchas cracias.

Posted by: María Celia G. Tebes on Friday, 13 January 2012
You should all sue the schools that have denied your children their right to due process and civil rights.This is a disgrace in the US, probably racism. Demanden a las escuelas y school boards por la desgracia de negarle el derecho de "due process"y derechos civiles a sus hijos, a lo mejor es por racismo.

Posted by: B RODRIGUEZ on Thursday, 12 January 2012
Mi hijo tiene 15 años y se le ha negado el aprendizaje en las escuelas oficiales , le extendieron un certificado de primaria y no sabe todavia leer ni escribir ,he intentado por todos los medios de incorporarlo a planes educativos y me cierran las puertas,lo que he aprendidi se lo enseño, ya comienza a leer palabras cortas,pero no lo quieren en ningunaa escuela que por que tiene certificado y que losmultan si lo integran se me hace absurdo ,e ignorante y a laves estupidi por las autoridades , que disque les dan oportunidad a los discapacitados es pura mentira y politica , orientenme por favor y en donde lo puedo inscribir para que tenga mas estudios academicos gracias

Posted by: juan fernando on Wednesday, 11 January 2012
mi hija tiene 14 anos cuando tenia 5 le diagnosticaron tdah y problemas del aprendizaje ahora ya de 14 la psicologa dice que esta bien pero en la escuela me dicen que no se comporta que no trabaja que se sale de clase como hacerle para apoyarla ya me reprobo un ano y como va seria el segundo donde puedo encontrar la ayuda adecuada les agradeceria la informacion

Posted by: martha medina on Wednesday, 11 January 2012
SOY UNA PERSONA CON DISCAPACIDAD Y ME GUSTARIA FORMAR UN GRUPO PARA PERSONAS CON DISCAPACIDA Y SABER ACERCA DE LAS DIFERENTES DISCAPACIDADES QUE HAY. GRACIAS...

Posted by: JOSE ARTURO GLEZ. M. on Wednesday, 04 January 2012
Hola, me gustaria saber como puedo participar como voluntaria en la fundación y en donde se encuentra. Gracias.

Posted by: Ximena Belller on Monday, 19 December 2011
Hola! Mi hijo de 6 anios parece tener DA y he estado preguntandome todo el tiempo porque??? que paso??? lo unico que pudiera tener culpa de eso es que cuando di a luz estuve mas de 20 hrs en trabajo de parto, al final me hicieron cesarea y mi hijo nacio con un la cabeza no solo larga pero con un haro marcado? podria esto haberle causado algun mal? haber estado atorado tanto tiempo pudo haber sido la causa de su DA? gracias por su ayuda!

Posted by: Martha on Friday, 09 December 2011
muy agaradable

Posted by: valery on Wednesday, 07 December 2011
I paid to have my child tested. He was found to have mild dyslexia, dysphraxia and an auditory processing problem. He has no one to one help and is over a year behind at school. The school says it can't statement him. What conditions qualify for statementing for him to get the help he needs?

Posted by: Jo Thomas on Tuesday, 29 November 2011
no me cirbe esta informacion joms

Posted by: arturo galicia rosas on Sunday, 27 November 2011
Mi hijo parese de dyslexia el va en cuarto grado se le dificulta la lectura recibe alluda en la escuela pero pienso que no es sufficient si saben como yo pueda alludarlo porfavor dejen me saber

Posted by: Esmeralda on Tuesday, 22 November 2011
Es una pagina con la informacion necesaria para las tareas de la escuela y para otras cosas mas . Es pero que otras personas tenga el mismo interes en esto .

Posted by: ahtziri saray cortes on Saturday, 19 November 2011
Kenneth: I'm sorry your friend has been struggling so much. I would recommend checking out our Resource Locator at (http://www.ncld.org/resource-locator)to find services in your area that could help by offering adult education classes, tutoring, and job coaching for people with LD. Often your state/local branch of the Learning Disabilities Association can help with this. You can find your local chapter in our Resource Locator or at the LDA's site here: http://ldanatl.org/state_chapters/index.asp

Posted by: Kaleigh (NCLD Staff) on Wednesday, 27 July 2011
I have been taking care of a friend who has major learning disabilities for the past 15 years. I took him to social security disability and they denied his claim. My friend can't get a job he can't write a check or even use the internet because of his servere learning disabilitys. He cannot pass an apptitude test because he has problems with basic comprehintion in reading, writing and math. If I didn't help him he would be homeless. I think it's a damm shame that our government will not even help a natural born citizen with his problems find a place in our so called free & fare democracy. All my friend want's is to be a productive citizen in our society. And all of the doctors and experts just want to broom him under the rug and forget that he even exists! I really need help because I'm at my wits end and don't know where to turn. If you can please offer any help at all you can email me at www.krt_2000@cox.net or Scucco1@cox.net Thank You & god bless you!

Posted by: Kenneth Trask on Wednesday, 27 July 2011
What are Learning Disabilities?
my comment is there going to be any improvement with the people with learning disabil. is there any medacation for these poeple or any help becaues iam very concern about that. send me comment thax 4 u

Posted by: ebtesam on Monday, 11 October 2010
What are Learning Disabilities?
I'm doing my AL project on this subject. so this was a great help to me. most often people mix up these illnesses with autism etc. so I really appreciate this......

Posted by: Minoli on Sunday, 26 September 2010
What are Learning Disabilities?
Great!I've learnt alot about LD ...Thank YOU...I am able to deal with my child with understanding

Posted by: ingridRamoutar on Tuesday, 06 July 2010

We invite your comments on this article, but we are unable to answer personal questions. If you have a question, you may find these LD.org resources helpful: Resource Locator; LD Basics section; Frequently Asked Questions.