Learning disabilities are one of the most important educational and psychological challenges facing a large segment of individuals around the world and are receiving increasing attention from specialists in the fields of education and mental health, and the incidence rates vary from one region to another, as statistics and studies indicate that about 10–15% of the population in Europe suffers from some form of learning disabilities. In Asia, the percentage ranges between 5% and 12%, and the disparity is, of course, due to different diagnostic criteria and societal awareness between countries.
What is a learning disability?
Learning disabilities are disorders that affect the way the brain receives and processes information, which hinders the individual’s ability to learn normally despite having a normal or above-average intelligence, as they often appear in childhood and are clearly noticeable when entering school where the child faces difficulties in reading, writing, arithmetic or understanding, which is not related to auditory, visual or mental issues, but rather to the way the brain works and its difference from the usual normal pattern, resulting from a defect in one or more neural processes associated with cognition, thinking, remembering or learning, such as: Language processing, phonological processing, visuospatial processing, processing speed, memory, attention, and executive functions such as planning and decision-making.
It may affect areas such as oral language, reading, written language, math, organizational skills, social cognition, and interaction with others. Its severity varies from person to person and may appear singly or in combination, and it is considered a lifelong condition whose manifestations change according to the interaction of the environment with the individual’s abilities and needs. It is signaled by unexpectedly low academic performance or performance that is maintained only with great effort and support.
What are the differences between a learning disability and a learning disorder?
Learning disabilities are educational issues that affect students’ ability to achieve academically without being the result of a direct mental disorder or sensory impairment. These difficulties include delays or weaknesses in the acquisition of specific skills such as reading, writing, and arithmetic, and may extend to affect attention and thinking. Children with learning disabilities usually underperform compared to their intelligence level and are often attributed to environmental or social factors such as poor quality of education or lack of family and school support.
Learning disorders are neurodevelopmental conditions that affect specific mental functions, such as reading, writing, and arithmetic skills. The essence of the difference is that these are considered permanent disorders that require specialized educational interventions, and although people with them have a normal or high intelligence level, they face fundamental difficulties in developing certain academic skills. These disorders are also known as “specific learning disabilities” and are caused by a direct defect in the development of the brain or the way it works at an early stage of life.
Causes of learning disabilities in children
Despite the scientific progress in understanding learning disorders and difficulties, the root cause of learning difficulties remains unknown, as no single factor has been identified that can be considered directly responsible for the emergence of these learning difficulties. However, studies and researchers indicate that there are many potential causes and factors that may contribute to the presence of this condition in children, and we mention the most important of them:
Pedagogical causes
The use of teaching methods that are not suitable for their abilities, failure to take into account individual differences within the classroom, poor interaction between teacher and student, lack of appropriate teaching aids, and the low efficiency of teachers in detecting and dealing with difficulties are among the most important reasons.
Genetic causes
Learning disorders tend to recur within families, suggesting a possible role for genetic factors, although whether the difficulties are due to genetics or learning from learned behaviors within the family is still debated.
Health factors during pregnancy and childbirth
Maternal illness during pregnancy or issues during childbirth that lead to a lack of oxygen to the fetal brain.
Associated health conditions
There are some health conditions that make a child more susceptible to learning disabilities, including Down syndrome, which of course affects the child’s cognitive development, as well as cerebral palsy, which may be accompanied by dysfunction in motor and neurological functions and mental psychosis, and children with autism or epilepsy are among the groups that face educational challenges as a result of the effects associated with these conditions on the way of interaction, understanding and acquisition of academic skills, as well as having some diseases in childhood that increase the risk of infection, such as meningitis.
Environmental influences
Exposure to toxins such as lead found in old house paint or water pipes increases the risk of learning disabilities, as does swallowing or inhaling chemicals and malnutrition in a child’s early developmental stages.
Symptoms of a learning disability: How can they be recognized?
Children with learning disabilities suffer from issues that affect their academic achievement and daily behavior, as these difficulties appear through a range of cognitive, motor and emotional symptoms that vary in severity from one person to another, we will mention the most important symptoms that parents should recognize to detect the presence of learning disabilities, including:
Cognitive and language symptoms
- memory impairment
- Difficulty concentrating
- Short attention span
- Difficulties with reading or writing
- Inability to distinguish between sounds, letters, or numbers
- Difficulty analyzing words phonetically (phonemic segmentation)
- Tendency to arrange numbers or letters incorrectly
- Difficulty telling time
- Difficulty understanding some words and concepts
- A disconnect between word and meaning, such as saying one thing when something else is meant
- Difficulty expressing thoughts and feelings
Motor and organizational symptoms
- Poor eye-hand coordination
- Delayed speech and language development
- Lack of organization
- Confusion between left and right direction
Behavioral and emotional symptoms
- Difficulty listening and following instructions
- Inappropriate responses to situations
- Fidgeting and impulsivity
- Tendency to behave inappropriately or aggressively
- Difficulty adhering to rules and discipline
- Inconsistent performance from day to day or week to week
- Not resisting change
Types of learning disabilities
Learning disabilities are categorized into multiple types based on the academic or functional skills that are affected in the affected individual:
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is the most common type of learning disability, accounting for 80% of all learning disabilities. It is a language processing disorder characterized by difficulty in speaking, reading, writing, or understanding words, which may result in slow vocabulary development and issues with grammar, reading comprehension, and other language skills.
Dysgraphia
People with dysgraphia may have difficulty converting their thoughts into written text due to issues with vocabulary, spelling, grammar, memory, and critical thinking. The condition is characterized by poor handwriting where the person has difficulty with letter spacing, spatial perception, and motor planning. Dysgraphia can make it difficult for a person to think and write at the same time.
Dyscalculia
Also known as dyscalculia, this disorder includes math-related learning difficulties such as difficulty with numbers, concepts, and reasoning. People with dyscalculia may have difficulty counting money, reading a clock, telling time, performing mental calculations, recognizing numerical patterns, and applying mathematical formulas.
Auditory processing disorder
People with an auditory processing disorder may have difficulty processing sounds because the brain inaccurately interprets the auditory information it receives from the ear. As a result, they may confuse the order of sounds in certain words or may not be able to distinguish between sounds, such as the teacher’s voice and background noise in the classroom.
Language processing disorder
This disorder is a branch of auditory processing disorder, characterized by difficulties in processing spoken language and a person may have difficulty connecting meaning to the sequences of sounds that make up words, sentences, and stories.
Non-verbal learning disabilities
This condition is characterized by difficulty interpreting non-verbal cues such as facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, and other non-verbal cues.
Deficits in both visual perception and visual motor skills
People with this condition may have difficulty with eye-hand coordination and motor activities, may frequently lose their position while reading, show unusual eye movements while reading or writing, confuse similarly shaped letters, have difficulty navigating the environment, and have difficulty handling tools such as pens, pencils, crayons, glue, and scissors.
How to diagnose a learning disability: Examinations and tests
If a child is observed to have learning difficulties when he or she starts school, the child needs to undergo specialized assessments and tests so that a professional specialist can make a proper diagnosis. The child’s pediatrician, school psychologist, or child psychiatrist is involved in this process.
It is important to note that a psychologist makes the diagnosis of a learning disorder. The school may determine that a child has a learning disability and then take the necessary measures to conduct an assessment and develop an appropriate educational plan that includes the following:
- Psychological and educational assessments
- Medical and family history
- School Performance Reports
- Behavioral observations
- Interviews
Learning disability screenings and tests
Learning disabilities tests are essential tools for diagnosing and identifying the strengths and weaknesses in a child’s academic and cognitive performance, and these tests help specialists in developing an appropriate educational support plan for each case, including the most important of these tests:
- Medical assessment: Your pediatrician will perform a physical examination and neurological examination to make sure that the learning difficulties are not due to an underlying medical condition, and may recommend tests such as blood tests or imaging tests (such as an MRI).
- Educational and performance assessment: The teacher observes the child’s behavior in class and assesses their academic performance. Literacy and numeracy skills are assessed based on grade level, and documentary notes are collected.
- Cognitive assessment: This assessment usually includes verbal and non-verbal intelligence quotient (IQ) testing and is performed by a school psychologist or child psychologist, and a preferential mode of information processing (e.g., visual or auditory) may be assessed.
- Psychological assessment: This assessment helps identify co-occurring conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder, anxiety disorders, depression, and self-esteem issues. These conditions are separate from learning disabilities but often co-exist with them. The child psychologist assesses the child’s attitudes towards school, level of motivation, peer relationships, and self-confidence.
- Neuropsychological assessment: This test aims to assess how neurological conditions affect a child’s behavior and cognitive skills (i.e., how the brain is used). This type of evaluation is performed by a neuropsychologist and is particularly useful for children with known injuries or diseases of the central nervous system as it helps identify areas of the brain associated with learning strengths and weaknesses.
How to treat learning disabilities and improve academic performance
Learning disabilities are lifelong conditions that cannot be cured or eliminated, but with early diagnosis, appropriate treatment, and adequate support, people with learning disabilities can achieve success in school, work, and society:
- Special education: Children with learning disabilities may benefit from being taught by specially trained teachers, where the child’s abilities are thoroughly assessed and emphasis is placed on developing strengths and compensating for weaknesses.
- Medications: Some people may need to take medications to help improve focus and attention.
- Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy sessions can help people with learning disabilities deal with emotional issues and develop coping skills.
- Support groups: People with learning disabilities, as well as parents of affected children, may benefit from participating in support groups that allow them to connect with others going through similar experiences.
Top language and behavioral therapy strategies for learning disabilities
Linguistic and behavioral therapy strategies for learning disabilities include a range of targeted approaches to support the child’s performance. Linguistic therapy uses phonological awareness training, improves auditory comprehension and verbal expression, and enhances language skills through educational games and storytelling. Behavioral therapy focuses on modifying behavior using positive reinforcement, developing organization and attention skills, using visual activity charts to help the child follow daily tasks, and enhancing social interaction skills through training in understanding non-verbal cues.
The role of family and school support in improving the condition of children with learning disabilities
The role of family and school support in improving the condition of children with learning disabilities is very important as emotional support from parents helps the child to feel safe and accepted, encourages him to progress, enhances self-confidence and prevents his feeling of helplessness or inferiority as it is important for parents to participate in the educational process through continuous communication with teachers and using common strategies to support the child and there must be cooperation between family and school to develop an educational plan suitable for the child’s needs as sources indicate that maintaining a positive attitude and focusing on the strengths rather than challenges helps build psychological resilience in the child.
In the school environment, providing individualized support, modifying curricula, and providing appropriate educational tools contributes significantly to improving the child’s performance. The child needs teachers who are trained to recognize learning difficulties and deal with them flexibly, as integrated support from the family and school forms a supportive environment that allows the child to grow and learn in a way that suits his abilities and helps him overcome the obstacles he faces.
Early diagnosis and treatment of learning disabilities play a key role in improving the child’s educational and psychological life. The earlier learning disabilities are recognized, the greater the chances of effective intervention and appropriate support. Early treatment of learning disabilities helps to develop skills and minimize the challenges that the child may face later, enhances his confidence and increases his chances of success in school and daily life, so it is important that parents and teachers pay attention to any early signs of learning disabilities and cooperate to provide support in a timely manner.
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