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According to a study, about six to ten percent of American children have learning disabilities. Learning disability or LD has no concrete definition because of its varied aspects but it is clear that a child suffering from LD experiences difficulties in the academics such as in the areas of speaking, writing, listening and reasoning.

Mathematical skills may also be slow. A child with learning disability can hear and see but finds it difficult to interpret these. While a child affected by LD has uneven learning patterns, experts do not agree that LD is a sign of mental or emotional disorders. The environment is also not a cause of learning disability.

General Learning Disability and Specific Learning Disability
A child affected by general learning disability has problems in all aspects of learning compared to children of his or her age. In some cases, children with general learning disability may require the care of others to do the basic things such as dressing and eating. Others may grow up independently.

Specific learning disability, on the other hand, refers to the difficulty of a child to learn some aspects but may find it easy to cope in other areas.

Possible causes of Learning Disability (LD)

Experts hypothesize that learning disability may be caused by genetics, birth infections, or early childhood injuries. Some were observed to have suffered frequent ear infections as a child. However, the prime causes of LD are still unknown. It is noteworthy that boys are often affected by learning disability than girls as revealed by the LD reports.

Warning signs of LD

It is not easy to know if a child is suffering from LD. A hyperactive and inattentive child is normal but parents must be able to get the hidden messages during these periods of inattentiveness and hyperactivity to recognize the warning signs.

The most common sign is the difficulty of a child to cope with the learning progress of other children his or her age. Other symptoms may include the following:

' Difficulty in recognizing colours and shapes
' Delay in learning to talk
' Poor test results
' Poor reading and writing skills as compared to children of his or her age
' Disinterest in books
' Inability to follow simple instructions
' Poor memory
' Difficulty in paying attention
' Slow in completing simple tasks
' Awkwardness

Parents can help the child with LD.

It is painful for a parent to know that his or her child has limitations in learning. A parent may find it frustrating to communicate to a child with learning disability. However, it is important to take note that a learning disabled child has a grasp of his or her emotions which cannot be expressed due to the disability.

While a parent may not fully get the concept of the problem, he or she should focus on the needs of a learning disabled child. Upon recognizing the warning signs, the parent must seek help from the school and request that the child be subjected to evaluations. Likewise, the parent should consult a paediatrician.

Denial about the symptoms should be avoided to prevent the quick progress of the learning disability of a child. Love and proper care are still the best ways to deal with a learning disabled child.