Learning Disabilities at a Glance
A person can be of average or above-average intelligence, not have any major
sensory problems (like a hearing impairment), and yet struggle to keep up with
people of the same age in learning and regular functioning.
How can one tell if a person has learning disabilities?
Learning disabilities can affect a person's ability in the
areas of:
Other features of a learning disability are:
Experts are not exactly sure what causes learning disabilities. LDs may be
due to:
Heredity - Often learning disabilities run in the family, so it's not uncommon to find that people with learning disabilities have parents or other relatives with similar difficulties.
Problems during pregnancy and birth - LDs may be caused by
illness or injury during or before birth. They may also be caused by drug and
alcohol use during pregnancy, low birth weight, lack of oxygen and premature or prolonged labor
Incidents after birth - Head injuries, nutritional deprivation and exposure to toxic substances (i.e. lead) can contribute to learning disabilities
This information and more from Learning Disabilities Association of Canada, http://www.ldac-acta.ca/learn-more
A person can be of average or above-average intelligence, not have any major
sensory problems (like a hearing impairment), and yet struggle to keep up with
people of the same age in learning and regular functioning.
How can one tell if a person has learning disabilities?
Learning disabilities can affect a person's ability in the
areas of:
- Listening
- Speaking
- Reading
- Writing
- Mathematics
Other features of a learning disability are:
- A distinct gap between the level of achievement that is expected and what is actually being achieved.
- Difficulties that can become apparent in different ways with different
people. - Difficulties that manifest themselves differently throughout development.
- Difficulties with socio-emotional skills and behavior.
Experts are not exactly sure what causes learning disabilities. LDs may be
due to:
Heredity - Often learning disabilities run in the family, so it's not uncommon to find that people with learning disabilities have parents or other relatives with similar difficulties.
Problems during pregnancy and birth - LDs may be caused by
illness or injury during or before birth. They may also be caused by drug and
alcohol use during pregnancy, low birth weight, lack of oxygen and premature or prolonged labor
Incidents after birth - Head injuries, nutritional deprivation and exposure to toxic substances (i.e. lead) can contribute to learning disabilities
This information and more from Learning Disabilities Association of Canada, http://www.ldac-acta.ca/learn-more