What Can Cause A Learning Disability
A learning disability occurs when the brain is still developing . Several things can cause a learning disability.
Before birth things can happen to the central nervous system that can cause a learning disability. A child can be born with a learning disability if the mother has an accident or illness while she is pregnant, or if the unborn baby develops certain genes.
Genes are chemicals in our bodies that contain information about us, like how we look.
A person can be born with a learning disability if he or she does not get enough oxygen during childbirth, has trauma to the head, or is born too early.
After birth, a learning disability can be caused by early childhood illnesses, accidents and seizures.
Genetics Of Learning Disabilities
The genetics of learning disabilities became of an area of significant interest beginning in the 1990s. Reading disabilities run in families and this familiarity may be due in part to genetic influences and in part to environment. These genetic influences are likely to have a direct impact on the development of the brain or a specific region of the brain that is probably involved in language.
Genetic influences appear to be more prominent in children with phonological coding deficits than in those with visual coding deficits . These studies have been generally involved identical and . Deficits in specific processes have been found in phonological coding and phonemic analysis compared to in visual-spatial deficits . The concordance of phonetically based learning problems was 71 percent for identical twins but only 49 percent for . Bruce Pennington and his colleagues found evidence of a major gene transmission in a large sample of families with reading disabilities linking a small set of genes that indirectly affect reading. Although chromosomes 6 and 15 have been linked to reading problems, it is likely that the difficulty is due to several genes that have not been fully evaluated . Genetic analysis of children with mathematics or written expression disabilities is another area that requires study.
What Members Should Do
LEAs may develop a scientific, research-based intervention or early intervening program that may be used to determine if a child has a specific learning disability. SLPs must be involved in developing these programs to ensure that students with a speech or language impairment are receiving an appropriate education in a timely manner.
If an LEA continues to require the use of an IQ-achievement discrepancy formula to determine if a child has a specific learning disability, the SLP should work with other special education and related services personnel in the LEA to provide information on why the formula should not be used as the sole means of determining if a child has a specific learning disability.
Data indicate that 80% of students identified as having a learning disability have a language disorder. Therefore, for all children suspected of having a learning disability, the SLP should ensure that the child receives a speech and language assessment to determine the absence or presence of a speech or language impairment.
Reference: P.L.108446, Title I, Part A, Section 602 Definitions, paragraph , and Part B, Section 614, subparagraph and .
In This Section
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What Are Learning Disabilities
Learning disabilities may be defined in practical, medical and legal terms. The common theme in all three definitions is that a learning disability is a disorder in one or more basic psychological processes that may manifest itself as an imperfect ability in certain areas of learning, such as reading, written expression, or mathematics.
Why Provide Educational Services Of Accommodations To Individuals With Learning Disabilities
Learning disabilities are life long impairments that may impact all areas of an individuals life. It is important to provide services and accommodations that a re required by law, not just because of the legal requirement, but also because providing these services and accommodations benefits individuals with learning disabilities and society overall by facilitating full participation in society by individuals with learning disabilities.
Adopted by the LDA Board of Directors September 22, 2012
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Other Types Of Learning Disabilities
There are many other subtypes of learning disabilities, but verbal and nonverbal learning disabilities are the two main categories. Because many aspects of speaking, listening, reading, writing, and arithmetic overlap and build on the same brain capabilities, it is not unusual for someone to have more than one disorder. For example, most disorders that hinder the ability to understand language will also interfere with learning to read, spell, and write.
, or ADHD, can also interfere with learning. Children with ADHD often have difficulty focusing on any one task for a period of time. Children with attention problems may have learning problems but attention deficits are not classified as specific learning disabilities. However, more than half of children with ADHD also have learning disabilities.
How Do People Know They Have A Learning Disability
Parents and teachers are usually the first to notice signs of a possible learning disability. A very young child might not speak or listen as well as other children their age or might have trouble with a games directions or other activities that other children complete with ease. The classroom teacher may notice persistent difficulties in reading, writing, or math.
The first step in diagnosing a learning disability is to rule out any other possible causes, such as vision or hearing problems or some other medical condition. Once a doctor makes sure that other problems are not to blame, the child might be evaluated by a who specializes in learning disabilities. Diagnosing a learning disorder often takes time. The psychologist usually takes a careful history of symptoms, interviews the child, and gives certain tests that compare the childs level of ability to what is considered appropriate for a person of that age and intelligence.
- is a mental health professional who can do psychological testing and provide mental health counseling.
Dyslexia: Separating Myth from Reality
In a 1996 article published in Scientific American magazine, one of the countrys leading experts on dyslexia tried to correct some of the persistent myths about the disorder, including the following:
MYTH: Mirror writing is a symptom of dyslexia.
MYTH: Eye training is an effective treatment for dyslexia.
MYTH: Dyslexia can be outgrown.
MYTH: Smart people cannot be dyslexic.
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Specific Learning Disability Listserv
The Colorado Specific Learning Disability listserv shares resources, professional development and training opportunities and provides information including current trends, research, and ongoing topics of interest related to SLD. The purpose of this network is to facilitate connections, awareness, and access to information, learning opportunities, and resources that will better the lives of students with Specific Learning Disability and benefit the families, communities, and professionals who support them. Sharing of information is encouraged however, it is at the discretion of the CDE what information will be posted. This service is chat-free and does not include advertisements from vendors or contract-based companies. To subscribe to the CO-SLD Listserv, please follow the directions below.
Specific Learning Disabilities And Disability Benefits
Indias RPWD Act 2016 defines Specific Learning Disabilities as a heterogeneous group of conditions wherein there is a deficit inprocessing language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself as a difficulty to comprehend, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations and includes such conditions as perceptual disabilities, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia and developmental aphasia.
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What Does Specific Learning Disability Mean
A specific learning disability is a lifelong impairment stemming from a neurological condition that limits cognitive function processes that may include comprehension, listening, mathematics, reading, and/or writing. Common specific learning disabilities can include dyslexia , dyscalculia , dysgraphia and nonverbal communication . Many individuals experience varying degrees of specific learning disabilities ranging from mild to severe with independent cases reflecting different strengths and weaknesses.
What To Do If You Notice Signs Of A Specific Learning Disability
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Take Notes
If your child struggles with listening, speaking, reading, writing, spelling, or math, take note of the specific issues you see. The more information you have when talking to a specialist, the better.
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Talk to Your Childs Teacher
With your list of observations in hand, make an appointment to speak with your childs teacher. Bring up your concerns and ask whether he or she has noticed any issues in the classroom.
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Request an Evaluation
To find out whether these issues are related to a specific learning disability, youll need a full educational evaluation, including reading, language, writing, and math tests. Talk to your childs teacher to see if he or she may qualify for testing through the public school district. You can also set up testing with a private evaluator.
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Be Proactive and Trust Your Gut
The sooner your childs learning issue is identified, the sooner you can arrange for the proper interventions. As a parent, you know your child best, and its up to you to get the evaluation process in motion.
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Why Do People Have Learning Disabilities
Why certain children develop learning disabilities and others do not remains a mystery. However, researchers believe that learning disabilities can be traced to differences in early brain development that happen before or after birth. During brain development, a few all-purpose cells must grow into a complex organ made of billions of specialized interconnected nerve cells called neurons . Researchers are investigating possible causes for differences or disruptions in brain development that include:
- alcohol, tobacco, or drug use by the mother during pregnancy
- problems during pregnancy or delivery that may cause a decrease in the amount of oxygen that reaches the babys developing brain
- being exposed to poisonous substances in the environment, such as lead
Also, because some learning disabilities tend to run in families, researchers are looking into how learning differences may be inherited.
Definition Of Specific Learning Disability
Introduction
A specific learning disability is a disorder in one or more ofthe central nervous system processes involved in perceiving,understanding and/or using concepts through verbal language or nonverbal means. This disorder manifestsitself with a deficit in one or more of the following areas:attention, reasoning, processing, memory, communication, reading,writing, spelling, calculation, coordination, social competenceand emotional maturity.
An overview of Learning Disabilities
Do not look at LD as a disability but as a different way oflearning. Ld students have to learn a coping strategy tocompensate for their methods of learning. Students havefrustration at not understanding what they are trying to learn.They turn this upon themselves saying they are dumb, and thisaffects their self esteem. They won t hazard a guess, they arelow risk takers. Emotional outbursts are anger at themselves, butan astute teacher should be able to pick up the buildup of thisfrustration and find other ways of teaching in a manner whichthey may utilize. By working with a Learning Disabilities clinicwith certified specialists and State Vocational Rehabilitation ina collaborative effort a Adaptive Computer Specialist is able tofind strengths and weaknesses of the student, and then build onthese strengths and weakness.
INPUT
How they take in information.
- Perception
- Auditorily
- Visually
- Tactually
INTEGRATION
OUTPUT
How you show what you learn
Traditional and Technological considerations
Health
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Learning Disabilities From A Behavioral Perspective
The long-standing assumption that learning disabilities reflect subtle anomalies in the brain is reflected in early terms such as minimal brain damage and minimal brain dysfunction. Although an emergent body of research has shown that learning-disabled populations exhibit neural anomalies, the field remains at a point where behavioral data are used to make an evaluation or clinical diagnosis, and neural features of these behaviorally identified populations are then studied to discern differences from normal controls. A diagnosis of specific reading impairment may someday be confirmed or even routinely screened via neuroimaging. Moreover, neurological diagnosis of learning disorders may alter their very definitions . This dependence on behavioral criteria is reflected in debate over whether traditional should cover treatment for learning disorders .
Types Of Learning Disorders: Dyslexia Dysgraphia And Dyscalculia
Dyslexia is a term that refers to difficulty in acquiring and processing language that is typically manifested by the lack or proficiency in reading, spelling and writing. People with dyslexia have difficulty connecting letters they see on a page with the sounds they make. As a result, reading becomes slow and effortful and is not a fluent process for them.
Problems in reading begin even before learning to read. For example, children may have trouble breaking down spoken words into syllables and recognizing words that rhyme. Kindergarten-age children may not be able to recognize and write letters as well as their peers. People with dyslexia may have difficulty with accuracy and spelling as well. Its a common misconception that all children with dyslexia write letters backwards or those who write letters backwards all have dyslexia.
People with dyslexia, including adolescents and adults, often try to avoid activities involving reading when they can . They often gravitate to other mediums such as pictures, video, or audio.
Dysgraphia is a term used to describe difficulties with putting ones thoughts on to paper. Problems with writing can include difficulties with spelling, grammar, punctuation, and handwriting.
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What Is A Specific Learning Disability
A specific learning disability is a disorder that interferes with a students ability to listen, think, speak, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations.1 Students with a specific learning disability may struggle with reading, writing, or math.2
The term specific learning disability is commonly used in federal and state law, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , and by many private and public schools.3
- 63%Of people know someone who has a learning disability5
- 43%Of people wrongly think that learning disabilities are correlated with IQ5
- 10-15%Of school-aged children have a learning disability4
United States And Canada
In the United States and Canada, the terms learning disability and learning disorder refer to a group of disorders that affect a broad range of academic and functional skills including the ability to speak, listen, read, write, spell, reason, organize information, and do math. People with learning disabilities generally have intelligence that is average or higher.
Legislation in the United States
The Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act 1973, effective May 1977, guarantees certain rights to people with disabilities, especially in the cases of education and work, such being in schools, colleges and university settings.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, formerly known as the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, is a United States federal law that governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education and related services to children with disabilities. It addresses the educational needs of children with disabilities from birth to the age of 21. Considered as a civil rights law, states are not required to participate.
Canada
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What Is Specific Learning Disorder
Specific learning disorders are neurodevelopmental disorders that are typically diagnosed in early school-aged children, although may not be recognized until adulthood. They are characterized by a persistent impairment in at least one of three major areas: reading, written expression, and/or math.
An estimated five to 15% of school-age children struggle with a learning disability.1 An estimated 80% of those with learning disorders have an impairment in reading in particular . Dyslexia is highly prevalent affecting 20% of the population.2 Dyslexia affects male and females equally. There is a high comorbidity of specific learning disorder with other neurodevelopmental disorders as well as anxiety.1
Specific skills that may be affected include word reading accuracy, spelling, grammar, or calculation. In addition, fluency in reading and mathematics may be noted. Difficulties with these skills often cause problems in learning subjects such as history, math, science and social studies and may impact everyday activities and social interactions.
Learning disorders are categorized as mild, moderate and severe. Accommodation and support services align with the severity to facilitate a persons most effective functioning.
Difficulty In Classifying The Specific Learning Disabilities
SLD is a clinical condition which is not always synonymous with learning disabilities as defined by the educational system: not all children with learning c deficits diagnosed by the school system would fit the definition for a DSM-5 clinical diagnosis of SLD .
Learning disabilities are diagnosed using both educational and medical perspectives . The most commonly used definition from an educational perspective, is found in the federal special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act . Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association defines LD from the medical perspective . A considerable overlap in the definition of LD used by professionals in educational and medical settings can be observed .
A specific learning disability is defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act as a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or using language, whether spoken or written, that manifests itself in the inability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or perform mathematical calculations. Perceptual impairments, brain damage, mild brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developing aphasia are all included in this category. It clearly establishes that specific learning disabilities are not primarily the result of visual, hearing, motor disabilities, mental retardation, emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage .
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Learning Disorder Vs Learning Disability
We often hear the terms disability and disorder used interchangeably, but what is the difference between the two?
The National Center for Learning Disabilities states that while the term specific learning disorder is used by the medical or healthcare systems, disability is more often used as a legal term. It represents an important legal standpoint because it qualifies children at school age with such conditions to receive special education services under federal law.