|
A learning disability is caused by a
problem in the way the child's brain processes information. This
problem impedes his learning ability. These children with learning
disabilities are not slow or unintelligent. They each have a learning
disability.
Types of Learning Disabilities
Some children have
Dyslexia, a disorder
that prevents them from being able to read properly. There are other
children who have trouble learning mathematics, due to a condition
called Dyscalculia. There are even
children who can't run, jump or hold a pencil properly, because of
Dysphasia.
Language Development
One of the main clues to learning
disabilities is a delay in the child's language development. Your child
begins learning language at birth. Language is more than just being
able to make sounds. Language is a system of symbols that your child
uses to learn, express himself and exchange information.
You can mark your child's language milestones starting from infancy. By
the time he is 6 months old, he should be cooing. It helps him learn
the rules of conversation. He should be able to look at you when you
are speaking to him, smile in response, and take turns with you in
cooing and babbling. By the time he is a year old, he should know his
name and be able to say his first proper word. By 2 years old, he
should be uttering two-word phrases, like "mama play". The complexity
of his sentences continues to increase throughout toddler hood, right
into his kindergarten and school years. If your child is not meeting
these language milestones, take him to his pediatrician.
Slow language development is one of the
first signs of a learning disorder. Even if it is not a learning
disability, your child could have a hearing impairment or other
developmental disorders, such as autism. All these conditions will
affect his learning.
Caring for Children with Learning Disabilities
The worst thing you can do for your child
is to wait until he goes to nursery or even primary school. He has many
years in between that are crucial to his learning. Early recognition of
a learning disability means that you can take the necessary steps to
help him.
Even though there are no cures for learning disabilities, there are
remedial measures (such as special teaching methods) that can help your
child resume normal learning. Most importantly, he has to realize that
it is not his fault, and that other people with learning disabilities
have gone on to achieve success in various academic and sporting
fields.
|
