Learning Disability

What is a Learning Disability?

The Organisation for Autism has defined a learning disability as a reduced intellectual ability and difficulty with everyday activities. Therefore, children and adults with learning disabilities see, hear, and understand things differently, which can affect them throughout their lifespan. This causes children to have problems in learning new information and skills and putting them to use. Additionally, children with learning disability are more likely to develop mental health problems, for example anxiety, or have additional developmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorders.

Slow Learning and Learning Disability 

A “slow learner” is a child of below-average intelligence, whose thinking skills have developed significantly more slowly than the norm for his or her age. The child will go through the same basic developmental stages as other children, but will do so at a significantly slower rate. However, this development, while slower, may nevertheless be relatively even. A child with learning disability is one of average or above-average intelligence who has specific difficulties that make learning very difficult. There may be deficits in any of the basic central nervous system functions, which have to do with the acquisition and use of listening, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning, or mathematical abilities. This includes attention, memory, language, auditory and visual perception, motor coordination and planning, spatial orientation, impulse control, and sequencing. In short, there is a discrepancy between the child's potential and actual achievement.

What is Learning Disability

Learning disability is described as reduced intellectual ability and difficulty coping with everyday activities, which includes basic tasks such as socialising and managing money. Learning disability is also described as a significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information, to learn new skills (which is also referred to as impaired intelligence), and a reduced ability to cope independently. People with learning disabilities also experience impaired social functioning and struggle to make friends or socialise with others.

Autism Treatment Plans

A good autism treatment plan will:

• Build on Your Child's Interests
• Offer a Predictable Schedule
• Teach Tasks as a Series of Simple Steps
• Actively Engage Your Child's Attention in Highly Structured Activities
• Provide Regular Reinforcement of Behaviour Involve the Parents