OVERVIEW

What is a learning disability?

Simply put, a learning disability refers to a child having difficulty learning and performing poorly academically, but these children do not have intellectual disabilities, nor do they have issues with attention or social skills.

The occurrence of learning disabilities may be related to abnormalities in brain structure and function, leading to problems with understanding and processing language and text, though current research is not entirely clear on this.

The characteristics of learning disabilities include: inability to correctly acquire, retrieve, and use information; failure to reach the expected level of reading, writing, or math skills for their grade and age; and academic performance below what their intellectual potential should achieve. Poor academic performance is not caused by intellectual disability, lack of learning opportunities at home or school, or impaired hearing or vision.

For example, a 4th-grade student may struggle with reading and writing skills typical for their grade level, such as having dyslexia or writing difficulties, but their intelligence and attention remain unaffected.

When someone has a learning disability, they may experience feelings of "shame" or "self-blame" due to external pressures. At this time, they need even more support and encouragement from those around them. Please interact with them without prejudice, respect them, and avoid spreading their private information.

Additionally, in some diagnostic systems, "learning disability" corresponds to "intellectual disability" in ICD-10. However, the "learning disability" discussed here refers to "specific developmental disorders of scholastic skills" in ICD-10, not "intellectual disability."

How common are learning disabilities?

Definitions of learning disabilities vary across different environments, making it difficult to determine a consistent prevalence rate. The lifetime prevalence of learning disabilities among children in the U.S. is 10%. Data from the U.S. Department of Education shows that 5%–6% of all students receive services for specific learning disabilities, and learning disabilities account for the largest proportion (>40%) of children receiving special education services. No relevant data has been reported in China.

SYMPTOMS

What Are the Manifestations of Learning Disabilities?

Learning disabilities primarily include difficulties in three areas: reading, writing, and mathematics.

• Dyslexia: Dyslexia initially manifests as difficulties in decoding words and reading fluency during kindergarten or first grade. Problems with reading comprehension often emerge later in elementary school. Children with dyslexia may also struggle with attention and may avoid reading.

• Dysgraphia: Learning disabilities in written expression can affect all academic areas. Children with dysgraphia may struggle to copy content from the board effectively, make excessive grammatical and punctuation errors, produce overly simplistic written texts, or create disorganized writing that is difficult to understand.

• Dyscalculia: Children with dyscalculia lack concrete concepts and understanding of numerical quantities and related patterns. They may not grasp the correct meanings of numbers and quantities, struggle with mathematical calculations, and rely excessively on tangible aids like pictures or charts. They face challenges in reading and understanding numbers and symbols, comprehending math word problems, visual-spatial understanding of math, and problem-solving methods.

CAUSES

What are the causes of learning disabilities?

The exact causes of learning disabilities are not yet fully understood, but they are related to cognitive function deficits, which may have multiple underlying causes. Learning disabilities can occur at birth or develop later due to illness, toxin exposure, malnutrition, medical treatment, sociocultural deprivation, or injury.

DIAGNOSIS

What department should I visit for learning disabilities?

If a child exhibits significantly low levels of reading, writing, or math skills, with academic performance noticeably below their intellectual potential, they can visit the pediatrics department, child psychiatry, or mental health department.

Diagnosis is typically assisted through tests such as the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC), Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS), and specialized cognitive assessments.

TREATMENT

How to Treat Learning Disabilities?

Except for individual cases where medical or behavioral issues require separate intervention, educational intervention is the primary treatment for learning disabilities. Treatment should begin as early as possible before the child develops frustration, with the key being to reignite the child's interest. Continuous extracurricular tutoring and parental involvement may also be beneficial.

Can Learning Disabilities Be Cured?

The effectiveness of treatment varies depending on the severity of the condition and the timing of intervention. The milder the condition and the earlier the educational intervention, the more favorable the outcome. Children with severe learning disabilities in mid-childhood rarely improve by adolescence, and those with persistent severe learning disabilities in adolescence typically do not improve in adulthood.

DIET & LIFESTYLE

What precautions should people with learning disabilities take in life?

Children with learning disabilities may face criticism, blame, or ridicule from parents, teachers, or peers due to significantly lower academic performance compared to their peers. This can lead to obvious frustration, low self-esteem, school adaptation issues, and peer relationship problems, all of which further reduce their interest in learning. Some children may develop emotional and behavioral issues, and during adolescence, conduct disorders and hyperactivity syndrome may also emerge.

Therefore, early identification of children's problems, correct and patient guidance in training their learning abilities, and providing respect and care are areas where parents and teachers need to pay special attention.

PREVENTION

Can learning disabilities be prevented?

Currently, the specific causes and mechanisms of learning disabilities remain unclear, and there are no definitive effective prevention strategies.