What are learning disabilities?

Learning disability (LD) is a broad term that covers a pool of possible causes, symptoms, treatments, and outcomes. Partly because learning disabilities can show up in so many forms, it is difficult to diagnose or to pinpoint the causes. And no one knows of a pill or remedy that will cure them.

Not all learning problems are necessarily learning disabilities. Many children are simply slower in developing certain skills. Because children show natural differences in their rate of development, sometimes what seems to be a learning disability may simply be a delay in maturation. To be diagnosed as a learning disability, specific criteria must be met.

The criteria and characteristics for diagnosing learning disabilities appear in a reference book called the DSM (short for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). The DSM diagnosis is commonly used when applying for health insurance coverage of diagnostic and treatment services. Learning disabilities can be divided into three broad categories:

• Developmental speech and language disorders
• Academic skills disorders
• "Other," a catch-all that includes certain coordination disorders and learning handicaps not covered by the other terms

Each of these categories includes a number of more specific disorders.

Learning disabilities are disorders of the basic processes involved in understanding or using the spoken or written language. They can cause difficulty with listening, speaking, reading, writing, spelling, or doing math calculations.

Learning disabilities are distinct from learning difficulties that are a result of visual, motor, or hearing problems, or that are associated with intellectual disability, emotional disturbance, or environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.

Learning disabilities may be caused by:

• Heredity; learning disabilities tend to run in families.
• Problems during pregnancy and childbirth. Learning disabilities may be caused by illness or injury during or before birth or by the use of drugs and alcohol during pregnancy.
• Incidents after birth. Head injuries, poor nutrition, exposure to poisonous substances such as lead, and child abuse can contribute to learning disabilities.

Learning disabilities are disorders that affect the ability to understand or use spoken or written language, do mathematical calculations, coordinate movements, or direct attention. Although learning disabilities occur in very young children, the disorders are usually not recognized until the child reaches school age. Research shows that 8 to 10 percent of American children under 18 years of age have some type of learning disability.

This information is based on source information from the National Institue of Neurological Disorders and Strokes.