Asking questions - Part 1

My goal this month is to help raise awareness of learning disabilities.  But to get to understanding, we need knowledge first.  That's why I put together some basic questions on LDs, and sent them over to Dr. Erica Baker, a Halifax-based registered psychologist who specializes in neuropsychological, psychoeducational, ADHD and vocational assessments.  Her answers, with information drawn from a number of organizations, will be featured here on the blog over the next few days. 

Rhonda



1) What are learning disabilities?

There are several definitions of learning disability, but academic underachievement is a fundamental characteristic of these definitions. The definition provided by the Learning Disabilities Association of Canada (2002) is one of the most comprehensive definitions to date. Regardless of the definition, our real task is to determine which individuals require assistance if they are falling behind academically and to help individuals make it through periods when they feel inadequate.


2) What is happening in the brain of a person with a learning disability?

The brain’s ability to process, recognize, store, organize, retrieve or communicate information may be different in individuals with a learning disability.


3) How can a parent tell if their child might have a learning disability?

Some signs that suggest a possible learning disability include (National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities, 2004):

• Trouble learning the alphabet, rhyming words, or connecting letters to their sounds
• Difficulty when reading aloud
• Trouble understanding what was read
• Trouble with spelling
• Trouble expressing ideas in writing
• Late learning to talk
• Limited vocabulary
• Trouble remembering sounds the letters represent
• Trouble hearing slight differences between words
• Trouble understanding jokes, figurative language, sarcasm
• Difficulty knowing where to begin a task
• Trouble organizing what he/she wants to say
• Difficulty retelling a story in order
• Confuses math symbols
• Misreads numbers
• Becomes lost in the middle of mathematical calculations
• Reverses numbers

Learning disabilities vary significantly from individual to individual. If a child is struggling to keep up with same-age peers in one or more areas that may include listening, speaking, reading, writing or mathematics, a learning disability might be a consideration (LDAC).