Children And Learning Disabilities What Parents Need To Know

Writen by Jill L. Ferguson

Learning disability. The two words may bring back memories of fellow students being taken out of your classroom and sent to a special room for a few hours a day or a week. Those words have become a negative label, a stigmatism, for many people. But what is a learning disability and why do some people have them and others don't? And what does it mean if you or your child is diagnosed with a learning disability?

Learning disabilities have been legally described in educational by-laws and under the Americans with Disabilities Act as "a significant gap between a person's intelligence and the skills a person has achieved at each age." The National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) define a learning disability or LD as "a disorder that affects people's ability to either interpret what they see and hear or to link information from different parts of the brain. These limitations can show up in many ways—as specific difficulties with spoken and written language, coordination, self-control, or attention. Such difficulties extend to schoolwork and can impede learning to read or write, or to do math."

The following list is symptoms of a possible learning disability. This list is comprised of warning signs; it is not a checklist. Your child may have a learning disability if he has poor estimation of space, poor coordination, a tendency to lurch forward, a problem understanding what is said, over-sensitivity to noise, difficulty following simple directions, delayed speech and language, sounds and words out of sequence (i.e. aminals and pasghetti), a poor vocabulary, a loss of emotional control, an under- or over-reaction to touch, difficulty using his hands to manipulate buttons, toys, etc., difficulty focusing, problems distinguishing shapes and colors, difficulty remembering what he sees, difficulty remembering the order or sequence of things, disorganized movements, and difficulty keeping up with his things. Other warning signs include double jointed sitting, not enjoying being read to, indiscriminate or over-reactions, laughter one moment and crying the next, difficulty with or avoidance of blocks and puzzles, clumsiness (i.e. knocking over glasses of milk or juice), and untied shoes and shirt hanging out. If your child has more than one of these symptoms, consult your physician and your child's school. Your child may have a problem separate from a learning disability and only a doctor will be able to properly diagnose the cause of the symptoms.

According to the NIMH, no one knows for sure what causes learning disabilities. Some possible causes are genetic factors, parental alcohol, tobacco and other drug use, problems during pregnancy or delivery, toxins in the child's environment, and chemotherapy or radiation exposure at a young age. New scientific evidence seems to show that learning disabilities do not stem from a single area of the brain; the difficulties arise when information from the various levels of the brain needs to come together. Studies from the NIMH have found, "New research indicates that there may be variations in the brain structure called the planum temporale, a language-related area found in both sides of the brain." For example, in a person with dyslexia, the two structures are equal in size. In a person without dyslexia, the left planum temporale is noticeably larger.

LD's can be divided into three broad categories: developmental speech and language disorders, academic skills disorders, and other—anything not covered by the first two. Development speech and language disorders include development articulation disorder, or the trouble controlling the rate of speech; developmental expressive language disorder; and developmental receptive language disorder, where the brain seems to be set to a different frequency and perception is poor. Developmental receptive language disorder often goes hand-in-hand with a developmental language expressive disorder. Academic skills disorders include developmental reading disorders, developmental writing disorders and developmental arithmetic disorders. The other learning disabilities category encompasses motor skills disorders and anything else.

Obviously, the types of learning disabilities are varied and affect people in different ways. The NIMH says, "LD is a broad term that covers a pool of possible causes, symptoms, treatments and outcomes." The most common learning disabilities include attention deficit and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD), dyslexia and hyperlexia. Other, rare forms of learning disabilities include dyscalculia (a math disability caused by an organic condition of the brain in which a person has a difficult time solving math problems and grasping math concepts), dysgraphia (a writing disability where letters are hard to form and hard to write in a defined space which is caused by brain damage) and dyspraxia (the impairment of the ability to perform coordinated movements).

Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity are probably the most well known learning disabilities because of all the press and controversy the diagnoses and its medications have received in the last decade. This disability used to be referred to as "minimal brain dysfunction" and affects three to five percent of school-age children or approximately 800,000 children in the United States. The characteristics that a child with ADD exhibits are inattentiveness, talking excessively, hyperactivity and impulsiveness, or any combination of the three. A child with ADD may daydream excessively, not seem to listen or follow directions, and may hand in careless looking work, according to Dr. Mel Levine, founder of All Kinds of Minds Institute and professor of pediatrics at the University of North Carolina Medical School in Chapel Hill. NIMH literature points out that "a diagnosis of ADD should be made only if the child shows such behaviors substantially more than other children of the same age." People with all levels of intelligence have been diagnosed with ADD. The causes of the attention problems are usually related to an inability to understand with is said or what is going on, an inability to focus or concentrate for long periods of time, and strong feelings or emotions that are affecting concentration.

In order to help a child with ADD, one must first realize how the disability is affecting her academic performance and then make adjustments accordingly. Dr. Levine states, "Simply saying that a student has ADD or ADHD does not help us know the cause of that particular student's attention problems when s/he is reading, writing or doing a math problem." Some suggested behavioral management techniques for children with ADD are an organized and predictable environment, having clearly defined behavioral expectations in advance, and having immediate consequences for actions. The goal in working with or raising a child with an attention disorder is to decrease undesirable behaviors and to increasing positive behaviors through a system of rewarding and ignoring, according to an article in the booklet, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder—Policies/Information Regarding Diagnosis/Interventions and Services, published in 1996 by the Learning Disabilities Association.

Another common LD is dyslexia a term derived from the Greek "dys" meaning "poor" and "lexis" meaning language. Dyslexia is characterized by problems in expressive or receptive oral or written language. According to the web site of the International Dyslexia Association, "Dyslexia is not a disease; it has no cure. Dyslexia describes a different kind of mind, often gifted and productive, that learns differently." People with dyslexia often show special talents in areas that require visual, spatial and motor integration, but they have problems with language processing—the ability to translate thoughts into words and words into thought. The characteristics of dyslexia include a lack of awareness of sounds in words, sound order, rhymes, or sequence of syllables; a difficulty decoding words or with single word identification; a difficulty encoding words or with spelling; poor sequencing of numbers or letters in words; problems with reading comprehension; delayed spoken language; imprecise or incomplete interpretation of language that is heard; confusion about directions in space or time; confusion about right- or left-handedness; similar problems among relatives; difficulty with handwriting; difficulty with math. These characteristics are a result from differences in the structure and function of the brain, i.e. the planum temporale.

According to the NIMH, approximately 15-percent of the population is dyslexic and about 2.4 million U.S. school children have this learning disability. Children with dyslexia need special programs to learn to read, write and spell. The International Dyslexia Association suggests, "Individuals with dyslexia require a structured language program. Direct instruction in the code of written language (the letter-sound system) is critical. The code must be taught bit by bit, in a sequential, cumulative way." Dyslexics also need multi-sensory learning techniques to master language. This learning should encompass seeing, hearing, touching, writing and speaking at the same time.

A third kind of learning disability may seem not at all like a disability at all when its most noticeable symptom appears. Hyperlexia is often characterized or diagnosed by the precocious ability to read words well above the child's age level. This possibly good thing usually accompanies other, not so positive behaviors. Other symptoms of hyperlexia include an intense fascination with letter and/or numbers; significant difficulty in understanding verbal language; abnormal social skills; learning expressive language in a peculiar way; rarely initiating conversation; an intense need to keep routines; auditory, olfactory and/or tactile sensitivity; self-stimulatory behavior; specific, unusual fears; normal development until 18 to 24 months old and then regression; strong auditory and visual memory; difficulty answering who, what, when, where and why questions; difficulty with abstract concepts; selective listening. Hyperlexia has characteristics similar to autism so hearing, neurological, psychiatric and blood chemistry tests as well as genetic evaluations may need to be performed to rule out other kinds of disorders, according to the American Hyperlexia Association.

If your child is diagnosed with hyperlexia, the first thing to do is find a speech and language pathologist who has worked with other hyperlexic children. (The AHA can help you find a pathologist near you.) In addition to the intensive speech therapy, you will need to teach your child appropriate social skills. The AHA recommends doing this by having your child interact with socially-appropriate behaving children on a regular basis.

The aforementioned learning disabilities and any others are frustrating for the children who have them. A child with a learning disability may stop trying to learn, have trouble making friends, may act belligerent or withdrawn, may get into fights, may play with younger children who make them feel more comfortable, may not be able to interpret tone of voice or facial expressions, and may act out inappropriately. As a parent, you may experience denial, guilt, blame, frustration, anger and despair. But there is hope.

The Learning Disabilities Association says "early intervention with a child who is behind in social, cognitive, fine motor, gross motor, and/or language development can make a world of difference." The Association encourages to contact the school district and your primary physician if you see any signs of what could be a learning disability in your child. Many disabilities seem hidden and are hard to spot, so getting professional testing and screening is important.

There is no cure for LD; they are life long. Diana Moore of the Schwab Foundation for Learning says to be knowledge and skeptical of quick fixes. Parents need to do all they can—offer love, support, attention and understanding as their child acquires the skills necessary to adapt to life's challenges. Moore says, "Keep up one's research to know your child's strengths, challenges and learning style and to be able to ask hard questions of any remedial program or provider." Parents need to work with the school system and stay abreast of any school evaluations. (If need be, take your child's clinician with you when you talk to the school. Doing this will ensure you are all following the same plan for your son or daughter's education.) By law, schools have to provide an adequate learning environment for your child's disabilities. For more information on this contact the Pennsylvania Department of Education or your school superintendent's office or school psychologist. As Dr. Levine writes on his organization's web site, "While parent/teacher collaboration can be extremely beneficial, the key to a successful management plan includes helping each student understand his profile of strengths, areas in need of improvement and affinities."

Focusing on your child's strengths can boost her self-esteem. You may need to hire tutors to work with your child after school or on weekends. Be sure when you select a tutor or learning specialist, you look at his or her certification and experience. The learning experience should always involve using all of the senses. According to the NIMH, "By using the senses that are intact and bypassing the disabilities, many children develop needed skills. These strengths offer alternative ways the child can learn."

Helping your child learn will help your child prepare for the future and will help him live to be a productive adult. Encourage your child to develop positive, supportive friendships. Explain to your child that learning disabilities occur in people of all levels of intelligence (even Albert Einstein is said to have had a learning disability). Get counseling for your child so she can establish a more positive attitude and greater self-control. Join a local or national support group so on the trying days you won't feel like you are all alone. Structure tasks and your home environment in ways that will encourage your child to succeed.

If your child is almost of college age, help him choose a college wisely. By law, all publicly-funded colleges and universities must remove the barriers to disabled students learning, by offering isolated testing areas, tape recorded lectures and tape recorded papers. Also, testing services are required to provide oral versions of the college entrance exams if necessitated by the disability. And when your child is ready to enter the job market, the Learning Disabilities Association offers a videotape titled "The Employment Interview and Disclosure: Tips for Job Seekers with Learning Disabilities" for $22.95 plus ten percent for shipping and handling. FOR MORE INFORMATION: · The All Kinds of Minds Institute is a non-profit agency that helps families, educators and clinicians understand why children are struggling in school and provides practical strategies to help them become more successful learners. P.O. Box 3580, Chapel Hill, NC 27515, www.allkindsofminds.org · American Hyperlexia Association is a volunteer-based, awareness organization that produces an award-winning web site and newsletter for parents of children with hyperlexia. 195 W. Spangler, Suite B, Elmhurst, IL 60126, www.hyperlexia.org · Learning Disabilities Association is a national non-profit organization dedicated to a world in which all individuals with learning disabilities thrive and participate fully in society and a world in which the causes of learning disabilities are understood and addressed. The LDA offers videotapes about learning disabilities for sale on their web site. 4156 Library Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15234-1349, www.ldanatl.org · National Institute of Mental Health is the federal agency that supports nationwide research on the brain, mental illnesses and mental health. They have created online books on learning disabilities which can be viewed at or printed from www.nimh.nih.gov · Schwab Foundation for Learning is dedicated to raising awareness about learning differences and providing parents and teachers with the information, resources and support they need to improve the lives of kids with learning differences. SFL is the first and only organization to offer customized information and individual responsiveness from professional resource consultants, librarians and information specialists online or over the phone for anyone who has concerns and questions about learning differences, according to their web site. 1650 South Amphlett Boulevard, Suite 300, San Mateo, CA 94402, www.schwablearning.org

Author, editor, public speaker, professor Jill L. Ferguson has written more than 700 articles, many on topics of interest to parents. Her novel, Sometimes Art Can't Save You, was published in late October 2005 by In Your Face Ink. She chairs the general education department at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and she is available to speak to schools and to community groups.