LEARNING DISABILITY– The Silent Tormentor - Part -1

 My son Rayyan has started blogging recently. He wanted to write about his animation course and his experience of learning there. Somehow he decided to write how he finally got to choose the profession he always loved, by going through the struggles in his school and college. Though I was a caring and loving Mom, I am getting a closer glimpse to what he has been through by reading it in his own words. 
So I am dedicating this present post to introduce the readers to Learning Disabilities which may help them to stop another child from being tormented like Rayyan  was. I did my best to be there and support him all through his struggles but it has been very tough for him. 

Learning disability is a silent tormentor of students because it is not prominent like other disabilities. Many a time the child is rubbished off as lazy or stupid. Sad but true.

Learning disabilities affect the way a child receives, processes, or expresses the information available. Learning disabilities can continue throughout the entire lifetime and have an impact on the basic skills of reading, writing and speaking. As it is not an ailment there is no cure for it, but skills can be learned and techniques involved reducing its impact to minimum.

Learning disability is a disorder that involves disorder of the basic psychological process of understanding or usage of spoken or written language. For children with learning disabilities the basic skills of listening, speaking, reading, writing, or math may be considerably affected in the negative fashion.

Impact Of LD on Emotional development of the Child

Learning disabilities affect children of average and above average intelligence and not those who are below average in IQ. It is tough to identify a child with learning disability since each one of us, have at some point of life faced learning difficulties in one or other way. The line dividing those who have and those who do not have learning disabilities is so thin that it is almost invisible to layman. Learning disabilities is suspected only when the learning difficulties are too severe and start to affect the normal education or other activities of a child.

It is important for us to notice that LDs are not due to mental retardation, emotional problems, autism, and other physical disabilities. Learning disabilities are also not a result of lack of education opportunities or environmental influences and the truth has to be accepted that it is not a phase that a child will outgrow. There are no cures for this disorder. If a child is facing significant difficulties with learning reading, writing and arithmetic, then it is good for the parents to find right strategies to cope with the situation without putting undue pressure on the child.

Even if you only suspect a child is facing learning disability then it is better to take precautions and talk to teacher, school staff and family members to know more about the child's behavior. Children with LD require special education services like special help to understand subjects that are difficult for that particular condition of the child. A parent is in the best position to help the child understand what he or she is going through. The parent’s involvement is huge since at every step the child will need the right support, care and encouragement to face learning challenges that they are facing. With right intervention a child can succeed in school and become a successful adult if given the right choice of career. No child should be forced into a career they have problem studying with. For eg: A dyslexic should not be forced to take up literature assuming that it is easier than Maths and Science.

What exactly is Learning Disability?

Learning disability is a general term that describes specific kinds of learning problems which can cause a person to have trouble learning and using certain skills like

• Reading texts
• Writing (messing up with b’s and d’s etc)
• Listening
• Speaking
• Reasoning

Learning disabilities (LD) vary from person to person. One person may have trouble with reading and writing but may have good mechanical or mathematical aptitude whereas another person with learning disabilities may have problems with understanding math but may excel in languages.

Researchers think that learning disabilities are caused by differences in how a person's brain works and how it processes information. Children with learning disabilities are not "dumb" or "lazy." In fact, they usually have average or above average intelligence. Their brains just process information differently.

The definition of "learning disability" just below comes from the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The IDEA is the federal law that guides how schools provide special education and related services to children with disabilities.

It is very important to note that children with learning disabilities can be high achievers and can be taught ways to get around the learning disability. With the right help, children with learning disabilities can learn successfully. 

To be continued...........