Learning Disabilities Awareness Month

As October is Learning Disabilities Awareness Month, it’s essential to draw attention to all learning disabilities, including those that are less well-known. 

What is a Learning Disability?

Learning disabilities can affect the processing, retention, and use of information, including both non-verbal and verbal forms. It can affect areas such as mathematics, spoken language, written language and more. They are distinct from intellectual disabilities; most individuals with a learning disability are of normal or above-average intelligence. The three learning disabilities classified in the DSM-5 are dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia. However, other disorders such as ADHD and autism can impact learning, as well as have a high co-occurrence with learning disabilities.

Dyslexia 

Dyslexia involves difficulty with reading. Symptoms vary depending on the severity and age of the individual; however, common effects include slower reading, letter jumbling, difficulty spelling and challenges with summarizing stories/texts. 

Dysgraphia 

Dysgraphia impacts an individual’s ability to write. Those affected by this may have difficulty translating their thoughts into writing, organizing written information, spelling and handwriting. 

Dyscalculia 

This disability affects an individual’s ability to comprehend and manipulate numbers. Some common indications include difficulty with telling time, handling finances, counting, and memorizing math facts (such as basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division). 

How do ADHD and autism affect learning?

While not classified as a learning disability, ADHD can have a significant impact on processing and remembering information. ADHD affects multiple global areas of cognition, including attention, impulse control, executive function, and working memory. This would affect numerous study areas, whereas a learning disability would be evident in more specific areas, such as math or writing. 

Similarly, autism will affect a broader range of areas. It can impact learning through sensory processing difficulties, executive dysfunction, impaired ability to switch between tasks, literal thinking and social challenges. 

If you have a learning disability and are looking for helpful strategies, book a session with one of our counsellors here.