According to the National Institutes of Health, a neurological learning disorder affects the patient's ability to understand or use spoken or written language, do mathematical calculations, coordinate movements or direct attention. While neurological learning disorders begin early, they usually are not diagnosed until the patient is school aged and is having problems in school. Between 8 to 10 percent of children in the United States have a learning disability. While treatment options are available, neurological learning disorders are a lifelong condition.
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a language-based disability, according to LD Online. Patients with dyslexia have trouble understanding written words. For example, letters will appear to be switched around, making the word incomprehensible to the dyslexia patient.
Dyscalculia
Dyscalculia is another learning disorder where mathematical skills are impaired, according to LD Online. Dyscalculia patients will have a difficult time solving arithmetic problems, as well as grasping math concepts. For example, the patient will not be able to process numerical equations.
Dysgraphia
Dysgraphia is a writing disability, according to LD Online. Patients with dysgraphia will have an impairment in forming letters, or the patients may not be able to write letters in a defined space, such as on lined paper. If the patient can write letters, the writing sample may be scrawled across the page in various sizes.
Auditory and Visual Processing Disorders
Auditory and visual processing disorders are a group of sensory disabilities, according to LD Online. Even though a patient with auditory and visual processing disorders have normal hearing and vision, she will have a difficult time understanding spoken language and written language.
Nonverbal Learning Disabilities
Nonverbal learning disabilities are neurological disorders that are in the right hemisphere in the brain, according to LD Online. Patients with nonverbal learning disabilities have a variety of different problems, such as issues with visual-spatial, intuitive, organizational, evaluative and holistic processing functions.
Treatments
According to the National Institutes of Health, special education is the most common type of treatment for neurological learning disorders. While medication and psychotherapy are both options for attention and concentration, special education focuses on adapting to the patient's learning disability. An evaluation of the patient's potential includes analyzing his weaknesses and strengths. A learning specialist will then use the patient's strengths to overcome his difficulties. Some neurological learning disorder patients may benefit from speech and language therapists.
