Learning Disability: A Reality

What is Learning Disability?

A learning disability is a disorder that affects the the neurological aspect of a child's body. Basically the way a child works out ideas and concepts in their head is different from how other kids do it. They maybe as smart as the other people, sometimes even smarter than the average kid. The problem they face is in reading, reasoning, writing, recalling, spelling and collecting information. This makes the conventional way of learning very difficult fo rthem.

There isn't a cure or any way to fix a learning disability. Students who have a learning disability must be supported and with the right method of learning. With the help from family and friends students with learning disability can perform really well in schools and make a successful career.

How Do They Occur?

There are many reasons as to how a learning disability can occur to a child. Many of them unfortunately cannot be controlled, while in some cases caution can help in avoiding the development of a disorder:

• While the child is developing in the mother's womb, the child can be exposed to many situations like damage to central nervous system which includes the brain and the spinal cord, thus causing a learning disability.
• The child can have a learning disability if the mother has an illness or an accident or if she consumes certain substances while she is carrying the child. This can also happen in some rare cases, where the child inherits certain genes which cause the learning disability.
• A child can also have learning disability if enough oxygen wasn't available during the childbirth or the head was exposed to trauma. Learning disability can also occur, after the birth if the child meets with an accident or has a seizure which affects certain parts of the child.

Why is Awareness Important?

Awareness about Learning Disability is of much need today. The world has evolved in the past few decades. With development of science and health-care, we are now introduced to phenomenas like learning disabilities.

Yes! There is more knowledge today, but there are many parts of the world where learning disability is seen as laziness or stubbornness of the student. Awareness of situations like Dyslexia can help parents understand and accept about their children and the disabilities.

Many parents also think that having a disability means their ward is one step behind others. Parents tend to see their children as perfect beings who will make them proud.

This is exactly why there must be more awareness. Parents and teachers alike need to understand that having a learning disability is a condition that has to be dealt with love and support. If the parents ill treat the child, he or she will never find the strength to fight the rest of the society.

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Some of the Common Learning Disability

Dyslexia is a language-based disability in where a person find it difficult to understand written words.. Also called reading disability, the child finds many alphabets of the script similar, delay in talking and learning new words. They will be found to be highly intelligent but when it comes to performing academically, they will have problems.

Dyscalculia is a disability that involves difficulty in mathematics. The person finds it difficult to solve arithmetic problems and understanding mathematical concepts. They will show symptoms like difficulty in understanding the concept of values, quantity, carrying and borrowing, and concept of time with respect to days, weeks, months etc.

Dysgraphia is a writing disability where a the child finds it difficult to form letters and write them in a defined space that is provided to them. They might have cramped grip leading to a sore hand. They might have poor spelling skills and leave parts of the word or sentences incomplete.

Auditory and Visual Processing Disorders are sensory disabilities where the child finds understanding the language very difficult even though they have normal hearing and vision.

Nonverbal Learning Disabilities is a neurological disorder which begins to form in the right hemisphere of the brain which causes problems with visual-spatial, organizational, and holistic processing functions.

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How to help students with learning Disability

Now that you know that there is a thing called learning disability out there, you should look forward to help children who have this disability.

First things first, keep in mind that they are no where less than you. So respect them, and do not insult them. This might cause mental and emotional harm to them.

Parents who have children who have a learning disability or think their wards might a learning disability, should make sure by getting them diagnosed by a professional. Find out about a centre for learning disability near you and you can find more about the disability and how to cope with it. You can help your wards to achieve success by:

• Motivating them to focus on their strengths and knowing their weaknesses.
• Understanding the educational system- find the best one and making sure your child gets education.
• Know more about the disability and how you can make your child's life better
• Focus on making them dependent, they are never less than any other kid.
• Speak with professionals and learning about strategies for dealing with specific difficulties.

Education is important and is a right for every individual. In the past, any symptoms of learning disability would make the parents and the family feel like their child is lacking basic skills to survive. But this was never the truth.

The child with a learning disability is as smart, intelligent and powerful just as any other kid who doesn't have the disability.

All he or she requires is just a bit of support. With more awareness, there will be more openness towards learning disabilities, so make sure you do the best and talk about it.

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