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When someone has a learning disability, what he or she should be able to do is different from what he or she is able to do. Learning disabilities are invisible, life-long conditions. You can’t tell by looking at a person that he or she has one, and learning disabilities can’t be cured. One in every ten people has a learning disability.

A learning disability may mean you have difficulty with any of the following:

 spoken language

 written language

 coordination

 self-control

 organizational skills

 attention

 memory

FACT 1: People with LD are smart. People with LD have average to above average intelligence. Some people prefer to think of LD as a “different learning style” or a “learning difference.” That’s because you CAN learn, but the way in which you learn is different. You have a unique learning style.

FACT 2: There are many types of LD.

Dyslexia is usually thought of as a reading disability although it also means having problems using language in many forms.

Dyscalculia causes people to have problems doing arithmetic and understanding math concepts. Many people have issues with math, but a person with dyscalculia has a much more difficult time solving basic math problems.

Dysgraphia is a writing disorder that causes people to have difficulty forming letters or writing within a certain space.

Dyspraxia is a problem with the body’s system of motion. Dyspraxia makes it difficult for a person to control and coordinate his or her movements.

Auditory memory and processing disability describes problems people have in understanding or remembering words or sounds because their brains don’t understand language the way typical brains do.

FACT 3: LD is hereditary. No one knows the exact cause of LD but it is believed to be a problem with the central nervous system, meaning it is neurological. LD also tends to run in families. You may discover that one of your guardians or grandparents had trouble at school. LD is not caused by too much sugar, guardians who aren’t strict enough or allergies.

FACT 4: LD must be assessed by a psychologist. Diagnosing LD involves a number of things. You and your guardians will be interviewed to find out what kind of problems you have had, how long you have had them and how seriously they have affected you. Your teachers should be interviewed as well.

You will be given several tests. These aren’t the same kind of tests you take in school. Instead, the person testing you will ask you questions and get you to complete certain tasks. Once the tests are finished, the examiner looks at how you are doing at school and compares that with how you should be doing given how smart you are (your intelligence). If there is a difference between these that can’t be explained by other reasons, then a diagnosis of LD is often made.

FACT 5: There is no cure for LD but lots can be done to help. One of the most important things you can do to help yourself is to understand what your particular LD is. It is also important for you to recognize and work on your strengths. Your guardians and teachers will help you learn about how to cope with your learning problems better by teaching strategies that can minimize their effect.

Source: Reprinted with permission from the Learning Disabilities Association of BC