Learning difficulties / Learning disability (LD)

Learning disabilities often appear in very young children but may not be noticed until school age. These disabilities can be lifelong. Some people may have multiple learning disabilities that overlap, while others might have a single learning issue with minimal impact on their lives.

The most common treatment for learning disabilities is special education. Specially trained teachers conduct assessments to understand a child’s academic and intellectual potential and current performance level. The primary approach is to teach learning skills by building on the child’s strengths and addressing their weaknesses.

Learning disabilities are disorders that impact a person’s ability to:

Understand or use spoken or written language
Perform mathematical calculations
Coordinate movements
Focus attention

What are specific learning disorders?

The term “specific learning disorder” is used in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders to describe neurodevelopmental disorders that consistently affect at least one of three key areas:

Reading
Writing
Math

Specific learning disorders include:

Dyslexia (reading disability): This disorder makes reading and language tasks difficult due to disruptions in how the brain processes written words. It may involve difficulties with spelling simple words, learning letter names, rhyming, and sounding out new words.
Dysgraphia: This disorder affects the ability to convert thoughts into written language, even with proper instruction. It may cause issues with handwriting legibility, spelling, holding a pencil correctly, writing speed, grammar, and more.
Dyscalculia: This disorder impacts understanding number-based information and math. It can lead to difficulties with counting upwards, doing simple calculations from memory, memorizing multiplication tables, organizing math problems, and more.

What are the signs of learning disabilities?

The main sign of a learning disability is a difference between a child’s academic potential and their actual performance in school.

Severe learning disorders may show signs at an early age, but most mild to moderate learning disorders aren’t recognized until the child is school-aged (5 and older) when academic challenges become noticeable. Even severe learning disorders may not be diagnosed until a child starts school.

Each type of learning disability has specific signs, but common signs include difficulties with:

Identifying letters, numbers, colors, or math symbols
Counting
Expanding vocabulary
Rhyming
Sounding out words while reading
Organizing, starting, or completing assignments
Organizing thoughts to express ideas
Long-term or short-term memory
Holding a pencil correctly
Handwriting legibility
Retelling a story in order
Staying focused
Following directions
Coordination
Abstract thinking, reasoning, and problem-solving

These are just examples and aren’t enough to diagnose a learning disorder. Only a professional can diagnose a learning disorder. A child may show several signs of a learning disability or just a few, and they can have more than one type of learning disability.

How are learning disabilities managed?

People with learning disabilities often need different or additional support to learn effectively. The type of help or management they receive depends on the specific learning disability and its severity. To create the best learning plan, you and your child might work with a team of professionals, including:

Educators
Educational remediation specialists
Psychologists
Special education services
Healthcare providers, such as occupational and physical therapists

Educational interventions generally fall into three categories:

Accommodation: Your child can access the standard curriculum with supportive or assistive resources, without changing the educational content.
Modification: The school adapts your child’s educational goals and objectives and provides services to lessen the impact of the learning disability. For example, allowing your child to give oral answers instead of written ones.
Remediation: The school provides targeted interventions to reduce the severity of the learning disability.