Learning Disability : A Growing Concern for Parents

Across the world, Learning disability is a term that makes parents and teachers equally stressful. Eventhough there is a popular awareness about other kinds of disabilities and problems , learning disabilty is a confusing term for a common individual. There are doubts whether it comes under mental retardation or even mental illness. Lack of awareness about learning disability or dyslexia is one of the reasons for not identifying great talents and potential in the children. It is generally reported that fifteen percent of the worlds children have learning difficulties, but either parents are not aware of it, or they do not know who to approach for help. Or they shy away from help because of the stigma attached to their children, if they have to be sent to special schools. Hence, as there is an increasing trend in the prevalence of this problem among children, the term becomes more popular and clear. Eventhough children are the victims of this problem, burden is on those who are caring them especially parents. So, it is high time for parents to be aware about this emerging concern and help their children in early identification and management. What is Learning Disability? If your child seems bright and curious about the world but has a problem with speech, reading, or arithmetic, he or she may have a learning disability. Learning disabilities include a spectrum of disorders that affect the way the brain processes information and make it difficult to grasp certain concepts. They can be mild or severe.The term learning Disability refers to a broad range of disorders that impair an individual's academic and functional abilities. These abilities are generally those of speaking, listening, reading, writing, spelling, reason and the ability to organize information.. These children find difficulty in managing the academic works. They may also be slow learners and they would score poor marks. Learning disabilities are problems that affect the brain's ability to receive, process, analyze, or store information. These problems can make difficult for a student to learn as quickly as someone who isn't affected by learning disabilities. In most of the cases, these children are branded as 'useless', 'poor performers', etc. by the teachers and

parents. They are also given punishment. These children are not intellectually weak but they possess different skills like music, sports, art, acting, innovation, drawing, craft, driving, etc. Many eminent people like Winston Churchill, Einstein, Issac Newton, Thomas Alva Edison and many popular hollywood actors were dyslexic during their childhood. If these children are not identified and remedied, we will be guilty of losing great men of eminence in future. Many times, because of the punishment given by teachers and parents, such children use their skills in different way and may turn out to be criminals and anti social elements. A heterogeneous group of disorders manifested by significant difficulties in the acquisition and use of listening, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning or mathematical abilities. These disorders are intrinsic to the individual and presumed to be due to Central Nervous System Dysfunction. Even though a learning disability may occur concomitantly with other handicapping conditions (e.g. sensory impairment, mental retardation, social and emotional disturbance) or environmental influences (e.g. cultural differences, insufficient/inappropriate instruction, psychogenic factors) it is not the direct result of those co nditions or influences. ( National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (NJCLD))

The Nalanda Institute report has highlighted that in India during the last two-decade or so, there has been an increasing awareness and identification of children with LD. Despite this growing interest India still does not have a clear idea about the incidence and prevalence of LD. Unfortunately, epidemiological studies of LD are fraught with difficulties ranging from the very definition of LD, identification, assessment, to sociocultural factors unique to India. In India around 13-14% of all school children suffer from learning disorders.

Alarming Signals You can't tell by looking that a person has a learning disability, which can make learning disabilities hard to diagnose. Learning disabilities typically first show up when a person has difficulty speaking, reading, writing, figuring out a math problem, communicating with a parent, or paying attention in class. Some kids' learning disabilities are diagnosed in grade school when a parent or a teacher notices a kid can't follow directions for a game or is struggling to do work he or she should be able to do easily. But other kids develop sophisticated ways of covering up their learning issues, so learning disabilities don't show up until the teen years when schoolwork - and life - gets more complicated. Learning Disability as a problem should be identified during early childhood because it will allow for a better diagnosis. Signs that appear in preschool

Delay in understanding or using spoken language Difficulty in understanding simple instructions Lengthy pause before naming objects and colors Limited awareness or interest in books Difficulty in coloring or drawing Problems with motor coordination Short attention span (won't sit through one storybook)

Symptoms in school-age children

Difficulty in understanding and following instructions Trouble in remembering what someone just told them Failing to master reading, spelling, writing, and/or math skills and therefore fails schoolwork

Difficulty in telling the difference between "right" and "left," problems identifying words or a tendency to reverse letters, numbers or words (e.g., confusing "b" with "d," 18 with 81, or "on" with "no.")

Lacking motor coordination when walking, playing sports, holding a pencil or trying to tie a shoelace Frequently loses or misplaces homework, schoolbooks or other items Unable to understand the concept of time, confused by the difference between "yesterday," "today," and "tomorrow."

Specific learning disabilities Deficits in any area of information processing can manifest in a variety of specific learning disabilities.

Reading disability : Of all students with specific learning disabilities, 70%-80% have deficits in reading. The term "dyslexia" is often used as a synonym for reading disability.A reading disability can affect any part of the reading process, including difficulty with accurate and/or fluent word recognition, word decoding, reading rate, prosody (oral reading with expression), and reading comprehension (ICD-10 and DSM-IV codes: F81.0/315.00).

Writing disability : Speech and language disorders can also be called Dysphasia/aphasia. Impaired written language ability may include impairments in handwriting, spelling, organization of ideas, and composition. The term "dysgraphia" is often used as an overarching term for all disorders of written expression (ICD-10 and DSM-IV codes F81.1/315.2).

Maths disability : Sometimes called dyscalculia, a maths disability can cause such difficulties as learning maths concepts (such as quantity, place value, and time), difficulty memorizing maths facts, difficulty organizing numbers, and understanding how problems are organized on the page (ICD-10 and DSM-IV codes F81.2-3/315.1).

Nonverbal learning disability [this disorder is not listed in the ICD-10] : Nonverbal learning disabilities often manifest in motor clumsiness, poor visualspatial skills, problematic social relationships, difficulty with math, and poor organizational skills.

Dyspraxia : Dyspraxia can cause difficulty with single step tasks such as combing hair or waving goodbye, multi-step tasks like brushing teeth or getting dressed, or with establishing spatial relationships such as being able to accurately position one object in relation to another.

Disorders of speaking and listening : Difficulties that often co-occur with learning disabilities include difficulty with memory, social skills and executive functions (such as organizational skills and time management).

Auditory processing disorder : Difficulties processing auditory information include difficulty comprehending more than one task at a time and a relatively stronger ability to learn visual

How and when are most children with learning disabilities diagnosed? Learning disabilities are often detected in the first years of school, as a child learns to talk, read, and write. Teachers are often the first to notice a problem. But a real diagnosis requires a formal evaluation by a specialist, preferably a pediatric psychologist or psychiatrist with expertise in the field. These evaluations usually aren't made until a child is 5 to 7 years old and are repeated as the child gets older. Even if you notice a problem sooner, specialists generally agree that it's impossible to draw firm conclusions from preschoolers, because learning styles and speeds are so varied in the early years. How Parents Deal with the Situation ? Determining whether your child has a learning disability is a complicated process. After going through all of the assessments and evaluations you may feel overwhelmed if a learning disability is identified. Raising a child with a learning problem is stressful. It can take a toll on parents and other siblings, who may be jealous of the extra attention the

child receives. Many families find help through support groups or counseling. Numerous organizations offer a range of assistance for dealing with learning disabilities, from educational information to online chat rooms as referrals for counseling.

When you work with your child at home on academic and life skills, you help them recognize their own strengths and increase their self-esteem. And your job as a parent is to help him learn to overcome his disability without harming his self-esteem. How do you do this? Here are 10 tips for helping your child be the best he can be: 1. Learn as much as you can about your childs particular type of learning disability. 2. Talk to your childs teachers and principal about what resources they may have for accommodating your childs specific learning needs. 3. If you have a local support group for parents of LD children, join it and attend meetings. You can share research, practical advice, your experiences, and moral support. Plus, your child might make friends with some of the other children who are going through some of the same experiences. 4. If you dont have a local support group, look online for newsgroups and mailing lists to join. 5. Work with your child on her/his homework every night. This will have three benefits: youll be able to observe how your child learns best, your child will learn the material better as you help her to focus, and her self-esteem will be boosted when she sees that your time working together is special time that cant be interrupted 6. Some types of LD result in a child who is unable to understand humor or sarcasm. If this describes your child, speak plainly with him, and always explain any jokes that he doesnt get in order to reduce his frustration at not being in on the joke. 7. Outside of learning, find what your child is especially good at and cultivate that talent, whether it is in the area of sports, art, dancing, or computer work. This will help raise self-esteem and may also elevate your child in the eyes of her peers which also plays an important part in a childs self-worth. 8. Enlist your childs help in doing chores around the house, and be sure to break larger tasks into smaller steps. 9. Consider counseling if your child seems overly sad, frustrated or angry, and is having difficulty dealing with those feelings on his own. The counselor may also teach your child some social skills to help him make and keep friends. 10. Remember to praise your childs achievements. Knowing that shes doing

While working with your child at home examples of activities you can implement at home fall into several categories ways to cope, organization, critical thinking, and emotional support.

Ways to cope

Take frequent breaks when doing homework Know your childs primary learning style and adjust accordingly. Accommodate for the childs primary learning style by allowing them to pace around, listen to background music, attach visual displays to the walls, or wear earplugs or headphones if distracted by noise

Organization

Model and teach them how to make to do lists and prioritize their homework Set aside a regular time each week for organizing workspace, belongings, schoolwork, and activities; make a game of it or provide a reward Give your child a task that requires organization: grocery shopping required for a recipe, planning a birthday party on a budget, using a map to figure out the route from one place to another

Critical thinking

Play games of strategy Talk about current events and ideas with multiple points of view Encourage all sorts of age-appropriate reading and writing

Emotional support

Praise your child for the positive qualities they exhibit during the whole process of doing homework not just when they finish their homework

Engage them in social problem-solving; how to resolve conflicts with friends, teachers, and kids who may be bothering them at school Encourage activities that your child enjoys and excels in Keep open lines of communication so your child feels comfortable discussing feelings with you Regulate your stress and help your children learn to regulate theirs Let your children know that you enjoy their company by playing and talking with them. Its important not to ignore other children in the family.

Learning disabilities are difficult to cope with, but make sure your child knows that many famous people, even geniuses, have also had learning disabilities and overcame them Thomas Edison couldnt read until he was twelve years old, and Albert Einstein didnt speak until he was three. Emphasize persistence, give praise when praise is due, and your child will also find his or her own way to thrive. Children are like unpolished stars, which come in varied sizes and shapes. It is a good parent, who shines them to bring out the best in them

Conclusion
Research has shown that a set of personal characteristics, attitudes, and behaviors can help persons with learning disabilities to be successful. Unfortunately, we often concentrate our efforts primarily on academic/educational areas, paying little attention to the development of these attributes in persons with learning disabilities. Noting the importance of these attributes in promoting positive life outcomes, it is reasonable to direct greater efforts toward fostering the development of these success attributes, at least to the same degree that we strive to improve academic skills.Fostering the success attributes is one of the ways that parents can help their children with learning disabilities grow up to be more successful throughout their lives. Attitudes, behaviors, and characteristics require exercise, practice, and review just like any other skill children learn.On a final note, it turns out that children growing up with learning disabilities appreciate all that parents do for them during the difficult years, whether they ever say thank you or not.

References : 1. Payne, Trevor and Turner, Elizabeth (1999),Dyslexia A Parents and teachers Guide, Multilingual Matters LTD, Clevedon. 2. National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped, (2003), Educating Children with Learning Problems in Primary Schools, Secundrabad 3. http://sspconline.org/article_details.asp?artid=art10 4. http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/10/14/stories/2006101401301900.htm 5. http://www.articledoctor.com/disability/list-of-famous-people-with-learningdisabilities-579 6. http://www.essortment.com/all/talkchildhish_twyy.htm 7. http://www.ldanatl.org/aboutld/parents/help/parents.asp 8. http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp 9. http://www.learningwithld.com/about-belaraja/pressreleases/TOI_22sep99.jpg

By Jeby Jose