Learning Disability

Learning Disabilities are neurological and psychological disorders manifested in difficulties in the acquisition and use of listening, speaking, reading, writing and reasoning skills. A learning disability is not the same as a learning difficulty or mental illness. Learning difficulty is a neurological problem.

People who have Learning Disabilities cannot perform well if they are taught in a conventional way or if they have to figure out how to do things by themselves. New technology and media techniques can be used to help these people to learn strategies that will foster their future success.

A learning disability affects the way a person learns new things in any area of life, not just at school.

Some types of learning disabilities:

• Speaking disability or Speech disorder

• Reading disability (dyslexia)

• Mathematics disability (dyscalculia)

• Writing disability (dysgraphia)

What causes learning disabilities?

A learning disability happens when a person's brain development is affected, either before they are born, during their birth or in early childhood.

Several factors can affect brain development, including:

• Heredity - Learning disabilities often run in the family. Children with learning disabilities are likely to have parents or other relatives with similar difficulties.

• Problems during pregnancy and birth

             •	Anomalies in the developing brain
             •	Illness or injury
             •	Fetal exposure to alcohol or drugs
             •	Low birth weight
             •	Oxygen deprivation
             •	Premature or prolonged labor
             •	Accidents after birth 
             •	Head injuries
             •	Malnutrition
             •	Toxic exposure (such as heavy metals or pesticides).

Sometimes, the causes for learning disabilities are not known