10 Learning Disorders

Introduction

When a child struggles in school, caregivers often worry the child may have a learning disability. A learning disability or disorder (LD) is a broad term describing conditions that impact learning ability. Dyslexia and dysgraphia make using and understanding written or spoken language hard for some kids. Dyslexia primarily affects reading and makes reading comprehension slow. Dysgraphia mainly affects a child’s ability to write. Dyscalculia causes kids to struggle with mathematical calculations or coordinating movements (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2021). These three LDs can be explained further in Table 9.1.

Children and adults with LDs see, hear, and understand words and symbols differently (Kemp et al., 2020). While many children are diagnosed with LD at a young age, many go undiagnosed until they begin academic learning in elementary school or even later into high school or college. The Department of Health and Human Services (2019) reports, “Research shows that 8 to 10 percent of American children under 18 years of age have some type of learning disability” (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 2019). Public schools have to make accommodations for all types of disabilities (e.g. blindness, autism, hearing, speech, and intellectual). According to the federal Individual with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA), 14.4 percent of public school students were identified with a disability in 2019-20 (National Center for Education Statistics, 2020).

Of that 14.4%, race and ethnicity breakdowns were:

• White students – 14.7%
• Black students – 16.6%
• Hispanic students – 13.8%
• Asian students – 7.1%
• Pacific Islander students – 11.2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native students – 18.3%
• Two or more race students – 15.4% served under IDEA.

While a LD diagnosis is classified as a disability, it is essential to highlight that these kids simply learn differently and are just as smart as kids without a LD (Kemp et al., 2020).

How to Identify a Learning Disorder

While every kid struggles with their homework from time to time, caregivers must know when to tell if their child’s struggles are more serious. Often children with LDs are forced to work harder in school to accommodate for their disabilities. As a result of repeated failure, the child may get frustrated and develop other emotional problems like low self-esteem or anxiety (American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 2019). However, early intervention will allow the student to access resources to stop them from falling behind and getting frustrated in school.

If a child consistently has difficulty understanding and following directions, has difficulty telling left from right, and has trouble with coordination in walking, sports, or holding a pencil, caregivers should be aware their child might be struggling with a LD. More signs and symptoms of LDs may be found here.

Understanding Brain Abnormalities

The causes of LDs are largely unknown, and because children with LDs use different pathways of their brains to process information, there is no one defined cause. However, environmental exposure (like lead, mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and pesticides) during pregnancy and young ages contributes to learning difficulties (Mayo, 2022). Chemicals like these negatively affect brain cells’ development and make brain circuits “overexcited,” causing differences in brain structure associated with LDs (Landrigan & Slutsky, 2021).

Abnormalities or unusual differences in brain structure development might also be a factor in diagnosing an LD. (U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2022). A family genetic history of LDs also increases the child’s risk. However, depending on what genes are passed down, each child in the family may or may not present signs and symptoms differently because of different development pathways (American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry [AACP], 2019). Premature birth, low birth weight, and exposure to maternal alcohol or drugs have been associated with poor brain growth and development (Mayo, 2022). Harm to brain growth, such as psychological or physical trauma to the brain, may also increase the risk of developing LDs. For example, head injuries or nervous system infections might play a role in LD development. A better understanding of factors contributing to a child’s LD guides medical professionals toward the best treatment plans.

Treatment Paths for Learning Disorders

Unfortunately, there is no cure for LDs, but people with disabilities can learn to cope, especially with early intervention. Kids and young adults who have a LD generally benefit from extra help catered to the child’s needs (CDC, 2021). Public schools do vision and hearing testing to first rule out medical conditions. Then, a child may see a team of professionals, including psychologists, special education teachers, occupational therapists, and social workers (Mayo, 2022). Testing results help guide the school and caregivers in finding appropriate services for the child’s specific needs. If diagnosed before beginning school, the child may be automatically placed in special education programs to prevent them from falling behind (AACP, 2019). In addition to treatments for LDs in the classroom, extreme cases may be prescribed medication or psychotherapy to help the child’s brain learn more effectively.

Medical professionals may prescribe medication or psychotherapy to help the child focus. Sometimes psychotherapy is recommended for both the child alone and families as a group. In addition, science has discovered that the human brain will naturally change to form new connections and grow new brain cells (Kemp et al., 2020). This science is called neuroplasticity. These treatment methods are designed to teach the brain how to learn better. According to the Invisible Disabilities Association, neuroplasticity, brain training, and brain-based therapy help rewire the brain and brain mapping (Connell, 2017). When a caregiver is aware of how these disabilities affect their child’s daily life, they will be better equipped to seek the treatment resources best catered to their child’s needs (AACP, 2019).

Resources

Resources to aid children with LDs at a child’s school are available in different forms. The best way to become aware of these resources is to talk to the child’s pediatrician and school guidance counselors. However, many organizations provide educational aid and guidance for students, caregivers, and teachers. The following resources and their goals are listed below:

• Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
  • Individualized Education Programs provide special education services in all public schools under the federal Individual with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004.

• Understood
  • Understood is a nonprofit organization that provides informational and educational resources for parents to navigate the qualification process for IEP programs, access affordable care, and more.

• TeachingLD
  • TeachingLD provides teachers and other caregivers with information and resources for teaching students with learning disabilities.

• NeuroGuides
  • Services provided by NeuroGuides offer one-on-one coaching for people with disabilities tailored to each individual by engaging individual interests and talents.

References

American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACP). (2019). Learning disorders. https://www.aacap.org/aacap/families_and_youth/facts_for_families/fff-guide/Children-With-Learning-Disorders-016.aspx

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2021). Learning disorders in children. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/learning-disorder.html

Connell, W. (2017, December 7). Wired together: Brain retraining and neuroplasticity. Invisible Disabilities Association. https://invisibledisabilities.org/ida-getting-the-word-out-about-invisible-disabilities/wired-together-neuroplasticity-brain/

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2018). About learning disabilities. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/learning/conditioninfo

Kemp, G., Smith, M., & Segal, J. (2020). Learning disabilities and disorders. HelpGuide. https://www.helpguide.org/articles/autism-learning-disabilities/learning-disabilities-and-disorders.htm

Landrigan, P., & Slutsky, J. (2021). Are learning disabilities linked to environmental toxins? Learning Disabilities Worldwide. https://www.ldworldwide.org/environmental-toxins

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2022). Know the signs of learning disorders in kids. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/childrens-health/in-depth/learning-disorders/art-20046105

Merriam-Webster. (2022). Dictionary by Merriam-Webster: America’s most-trusted online dictionary.  https://www.merriam-webster.com/

National Association of Special Education Teachers. (2011). Introduction to learning disabilities. https://www.naset.org/publications/ld-report/introduction-to-learning-disabilities#:~:text=

National Center for Education Statistics (2020). Digest of Education Statistics. https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d20/tables/dt20_204.50.asp

National Center for Learning Disorders (NCLD). (2019). Understanding learning and attention issues. https://www.ncld.org/news/state-of-learning-disabilities/understanding-learning-and-attention-issues/

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. (2019). Learning disabilities information page. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/All-Disorders/Learning-Disabilities-Information-Page

O’Shea, C. (2022). Individualized education programs (IEPS). https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/iep.html

South Carolina Department of Education. (2022). State regulations. https://ed.sc.gov/districts-schools/special-education-services/state-regulations/

U.S. National Library of Medicine. (2022). Learning disabilities. MedlinePlus. https://medlineplus.gov/learnin​​gdisabilities.html