An LD can also cause output problems, which can sometimes show up as difficulties with motor skills like handwriting. Another common problem is verbal output. This is usually evident in kids who have trouble organizing their thoughts, either in written or oral communication. Punctuation, grammar, and spelling may suffer as a result.
Suspect a Learning Keep a Look Out Disability? for These Signs By Kimberly Blaker
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pproximately 10 percent of American school-age children suffer from a learning disability (LD) and/ or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 4 percent of children have both. But these disorders often go undetected despite children’s ongoing struggles with schoolwork and behavior issues. Often, parents don’t suspect LDs because many people associate them with low IQ. But LDs affect children of all intelligence levels. In fact, it isn’t uncommon for a child with a learning disability to excel in one or multiple subjects and struggle in others. Also, kids with LDs or ADHD may do well under certain conditions, but in others have great difficulty. Depending on the LD and the severity of it, a child might struggle in all areas. 14 SonomaFamilyLife
Types of Learning Disabilities There are multiple forms of LDs. Some pose input problems, which means a child struggles with either sound or visual input. These disabilities are the result of information not being correctly processed or stored in the brain. This can pose problems with the retrieval of information as well as short- or long-term memory.
ADHD is marked by attention problems and/or hyperactivity and impulsivity. Girls often have only attention issues, while boys are more commonly impulsive or hyperactive. Symptoms can include difficulty staying on task or paying attention,
It isn’t uncommon for a child with an LD to excel in one or multiple subjects and struggle in others. and, conversely, a capacity to be hyper-focused on a stimulating activity. Children with ADHD may fidget, interrupt, and act without thinking. Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) is a problem with input. It isn’t a hearing problem. Instead, the brain has difficulty processing sounds. As a result, kids with APD can be distracted by loud noises or struggle to follow conversations. This can be especially problematic when there’s a lot of background noise, which makes it difficult to distinguish sounds. Dyscalculia is a math learning disability. Kids with dyscalculia may have difficulty learning to tell time,
September 2020 www.sonomafamilylife.com
