3 Most Common Learning Disorders in Children
Learning disorders developed in children are usually first recognized in school. They typically manifest as difficulties in reading, writing, and calculating. These are not a consequence of lesser intelligence, visual or hearing impairment, insufficient teaching, or a lack of will to learn.
Most learning disorders occur involuntarily. They affect different individuals in different ways and to varying degrees.
Learning is a psychological process
The time we take to learn something can be very short (even immediate) or extremely long. For example, it only takes one touch to learn that a hot stove can burn you. However, more complex types of knowledge, as well as values, skills, behaviors, and preferences, usually require more time and repetitive experience.
The good news is that most changes caused by learning tend to last a lifetime. A previously learned knowledge or skill can be retrieved relatively quickly. It is always dormant, waiting. You can’t forget what you learned, “It’s like riding a bicycle!”
How We Learn
Us, humans, learn throughout our lifetime. This kind of learning has nothing to do with going to school, reading, or any other concept usually associated with education. It is an ongoing process.
We learn through everyday interaction with our environment and the people we meet. We learn all the time, both consciously and unconsciously.
However, not everyone learns at the same pace. Something that is particularly visible at a young age when memory and learning are intensely developing.
Some children suffer from learning disorders that affect their performance in school and their overall social development. In this article, we discuss the three most common ones:
- Dyslexia,
- Dysgraphia, and
- Dyscalculia.
Most Common Learning Disorders in Children
1. Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a reading disorder. It can have different manifestations in different people. For example, in some people, the problem can be spelling, while in others, it is fast reading or reading out loud. Dyslexia is involuntary and has nothing to do with the affected person’s intelligence.
This learning disorder develops as a result of a combination of factors. Things like the environment and the genes play a significant role. It is not uncommon for dyslexia to run in families.
Dyslexia is the most common learning disorder in children worldwide
It accounts for 80% to 90% of all learning disabilities. Although there is no cure for it, it can be improved, especially if the treatment starts at an early age. The most effective treatment method is through the adjustment of teaching methods to fit the affected individual’s needs.
2. Dysgraphia
Dysgraphia is a handwriting disorder. It can cause transcription inability and difficulty to spell the written words correctly. In some individuals, dysgraphia is caused by a physical inability to utilize the finger muscles properly.
People suffering from dysgraphia often have problems with the linguistic part of writing (grammar, spelling, etc.) as well as the physical part (handwriting). Often, they experience difficulties with some necessary motor skills. Therefore, they are unable to perform other delicate tasks that require the precise use of fingers (e.g., shoe lacing).
3. Dyscalculia
The inability to understand and manipulate numbers is known as Dyscalculia. This learning disorder manifests through difficulties in performing calculations. And also the ability to comprehend arithmetic and learning mathematical facts.
Dyscalculia can affect people with high IQ as well, and it makes other tasks (not only math) that involve the use of numbers hard to complete. These include:
- Reading the analog clock
- Financial planning
- Estimating the distance or the measurements of an object
- Inability to perceive numerical value (which number is more substantial)
Learning Disorders in Children, The Bottom Line
Learning disorders can hamper your child’s social interaction, academic success, and emotional development. They can be a cause of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. That is why children with learning disorders benefit the most from early assistance to help them overcome the difficulties they are facing
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