• 23Nov, 2017

Learning disabilities are neurological problems which interfere with basic learning skills such as reading, writing, comprehending, calculating and so on. Children with learning disabilities are prone to take longer to learn and may need individual support to develop new skills, understand intricate concepts and interact with other people.

In India, around 13-14 percent of all school children suffer from learning disorders. The past decade has witnessed a sudden increase in the recognition of learning disabilities in India. This sensitivity has benefited some children who have to cope with the invisible learning disability. Discovering your child’s special needs is often a confusing and painful process for parents. Learning difficulties can be subtle, multiple, and difficult to pinpoint, it can be hard for parents to know whether things are normal or not.

Identifying the type of struggle your child may have with learning is also imperative to future success. There is a distinction between a difficulty and a learning disability. The two terms are sometimes used interchangeably but there is a distinct difference between the two. Everyone experiences some difficulty when learning something. We are not adept at every skill. A learning disability, on the other hand, refers to a disorder manifested by significant difficulties in acquisition and use of listening, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning or mathematical abilities.

- Dyslexia: It is a reading disability that causes a child to reverse letters (mirror image).
- Dyscalculia: It is a lesser known disability that affects mathematical calculations.
- Dysgraphia: It is a learning disability resulting from the difficulty in expressing thoughts in writing and graphing.
- Dyspraxia: It refers to difficulties with fine motor skills such as hand-eye co-ordination, etc.