The National Institute of Health (NIH) indicates that nearly 15 percent of the American population has some form of learning disorder. Learning disabilities are considered neurological disorders and do not measure a person's intelligence, rather, the disability affects how a child learns and processes information. Early recognition of potential learning disorders make a significant difference in a child's life. Understanding the different types of learning disabilities that exist further aids in helping your child get the appropriate intervention needed to manage life despite the disability.
Dyslexia
The Mayo Clinic defines dyslexia as a specific reading disability that may affect the brain and how it translates written images received by the eyes. Dyslexia is not a disturbance of vision, rather an inability of the brain to recognize what is being seen. Dyslexia is often mistaken as seeing or writing words backwards. However, this is not the extent of the disorder. Dyslexia appears as a difficulty with reading written words as well as writing and pronouncing words. Spoken language is often problematic in people with dyslexia in the form of sounding out letters and sentences. Additionally, a person with dyslexia finds it difficult to memorize important information to complete school work, such as spelling words or math. According to Learning Disability Online, a child with dyslexia often feels incapable and academically stressed especially when the disability is unrecognized and untreated.
Information Processing
Information processing disorders influence how information is received through the senses of vision, auditory, taste, smell, and touch. The brain has a communication disruption that occurs and recognition of the information from the initial sense to the brain is altered. Visual and auditory senses are the common areas of impact with an information processing disorder. The National Institute of Health indicates that this type of learning disorder has a serious influence on the school age child because most of the information in the classroom is presented visually and verbally. Visual perception is impaired with this disorder and school subjects that require object or spatial recognition are difficult for the student to learn. For instance, recognizing familiar faces and colors is a difficulty when a visual information processing disorder is present. Auditory processing is also a complication of the information processing disorder. Phonological sounds are not picked up as easily when this disorder is present and this impinges on a child committing information presented during class lectures to memory.
Dysgraphia
The National Center for Learning Disabilities indicates that dysgraphia is a learning disorder that affects writing ability. This is in the form of difficulty in spelling, handwriting, and putting thoughts to paper. Additionally, trouble with this area appear as illegible handwriting, avoidance of written tasks, unfinished sentences, awkward positioning while writing, or speaking out loud while writing. There are simple age-appropriate ways to lessen the burden of this disorder and strategies can be implemented by parents or teachers.
