Definition of Learning Disabilities for Kids

A learning disability is a disorder that impairs a child's ability to learn, despite the presence of an at least average intelligence. Children with learning disabilities often display notable strengths in one area of learning while displaying an obvious handicap in others. They may excel in mathematics, but do poorly in language. Learning disabilities appear without a catalyst such as vision or hearing loss, physical injury, physical disabilities and non-learning developmental disorders.

Dyslexia

• Dyslexia is also known as developmental reading disorder. It is the most prevalent learning disability for kids. According to the International Dyslexia Association, the occurrence of dyslexia may be 15-20% of the population, including adults.

  Children with dyslexia display difficulties reading and writing. Dyslexic children may have a hard time sounding and remembering words. Writing and seeing letters, words and numbers backwards is also a common sign of dyslexia. Because of these issues, dyslexic children may be simply unable to read numbers and letters with average instruction.

Specific Language Impairment

• Children with specific language impairment have difficulty speaking and understanding what people say to them. Unlike some other speaking and listening difficulties, specific language impairment is not linked with difficulty hearing or a below average intelligence quotient. This learning disability may cause a child to speak as if he were younger, communicate less with his parents and misunderstand verbal communications. Specific language impairment does not cause a speech impediment, but rather a difficulty in learning how to speak.

Dysgraphia

• Dysgraphia affects a child's ability to write. Children with dysgraphia may write backwards, out of order, sloppily and with improper grammar. They typically have no problems speaking or understanding the spoken word. Dysgraphia can co-occur with other learning and developmental disabilities, the one not causing the other.

Dyscalculia

• Dyscalculia is a term used to describe a range of learning impairments in mathematics. Kids with dyscalculia may show average to above average comprehension in other areas of learning, but have trouble understanding math concepts, numbers and the order in which to place them. This makes it difficult for dyscalculia sufferers to keep track of time. Counting money and calendar scheduling is also made difficult by dyscalculia.

Auditory Processing Disorder

• When a child is able to hear clearly, but is unable to process what she is hearing properly, she may have auditory processing disorder. At times she will misunderstand what people tell her to do. This can lead to behavioral issues that are unrelated to the disorder, but stem from the frustration of unwittingly doing things wrong and hearing things incorrectly.

Nonverbal Learning Disability

• Nonverbal learning disability is similar to auditory processing disorder. The difference is that with nonverbal learning disability, it is visual input that does not process correctly. Kids who suffer from this learning disability are able to see properly, but they have a hard time interpreting what they see. This includes visual cues in social interaction.