Encyclopedia of Health and Medicine

L
learning disorders Difficulties with cognitive
functions such as analytical thinking, reading,
writing, speech, listening, comprehension, and
memory. Learning disorders are neurologic and
arise from physical disturbances in BRAIN function.
Such disturbances may be due to abnormalities in
brain structure that occur during fetal development,
injuries to the brain that result from oxygen
deprivation during PREGNANCY or CHILDBIRTH, or
TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY (TBI) during childhood. Frequently,
however, the reason for a learning disorder
remains unknown. Though social factors
influence the extent to which a person who has
learning disorders is able to overcome challenges,
such factors do not cause learning disorders.
Symptoms and Diagnostic Path
Often the first indication of a learning disorder is a
gap between a child’s abilities and the abilities that
are normal for the child’s age. Depending on the
type of disorder, this gap may become apparent
early in childhood or be detected when the child
starts school. Symptoms may include a child’s
inability to
• speak in sentences by age 3
• speak clearly enough for others to understand
by age 3
• tie shoes and fasten buttons by age 5
• sit still through the reading of a short story by
age 5
• read and write as expected for age or grade
level
Some learning disorders also involve deficits in
motor skills and physical coordination. Because
the rate and nature child development varies
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widely, diagnosing learning disorders is often challenging.
The diagnostic path may incorporate
numerous approaches including neurologic,
vision, hearing, and speech pathology evaluations;
psychologic testing; achievement testing; and
classroom observation. It may be difficult to reach
a clear diagnosis; test results may be inconclusive
or inconsistent. In the United States, diagnostic
testing and remedial or adaptive educational services
are available at no cost to families for all children
from birth to age 21.
Treatment Options and Outlook
Treatment is often multidisciplinary, integrating
alternate learning approaches with appropriate
PHYSICAL THERAPY, speech pathology, OCCUPATIONAL
THERAPY, and counseling. Treatment efforts may
involve the entire family. The rate and extent of
progress varies widely and depends on multiple
factors. Many people learn to compensate for their
learning disorders to the extent that they are able
to lead normal, productive lives. For some people,
learning disorders present lifelong challenge.
Risk Factors and Preventive Measures
Because learning disorders result from neurologic
damage, they are very seldom preventable. Appropriate
PRENATAL CARE is important to provide optimal
opportunity for healthy fetal development
and growth. Appropriate care during childbirth
and in the immediate newborn stage is especially
crucial. Some learning disorders, such as dyslexia
(difficulty reading), appear to run in families,
leading researchers to believe genetic components
may be involved.
See also APHASIA; APRAXIA; ATTENTION DEFICIT
HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER (ADHD); CEREBRAL PALSY; COG-
NITIVE FUNCTION AND DYSFUNCTION; DOWN SYNDROME;