The ‘Dys’ Disorders and How They Impact Learning

Learning disorders are a big issue in today’s world - a controversy that severely impacts our next generation and their development of key milestone skills necessary for the future. While most think the problem lies in adolescents themselves, adults have long neglected and brushed off the needs of children with learning disabilities. More awareness of this extremely common branch of disorders is crucial to lift up those affected and facilitate long term development.

There are four main learning disorders which are currently recognized by the CDC and other reputable medical organizations worldwide; the most well-known label being dyslexia.

According to the Mayo Clinic, dyslexia is “a learning disorder that involves difficulty reading due to problems identifying speech sounds and learning how they relate to letters and words”. Also known as a ‘reading disability’, dyslexia occurs in approximately 1 out of 5 children in the US.

Dyslexia is often associated with dysgraphia, a disorder which characterizes abnormal difficulties with writing legibly or utilizing correct grammar and word placement. While these two disabilities often coincide, many adolescents are only diagnosed with one or the other.

Symptoms for both dyslexia and dysgraphia include poor memorization, difficulty following instructions, an avoidance towards schoolwork, an inability to stay organized, and visible language-processing deficits.

On the other end of the spectrum, dyscalculia is defined by the Cleveland Clinic as “a person’s ability to understand number-based information and math”. Symptoms include the inability to recognize numbers or other math symbols, failing to measure distance or time, difficulty solving simple calculations by memory, and the incapability to break down decipherable mathematical problems. Up to 3-7% of the human population has dyscalculia.

The final learning disorder is known as dyspraxia, or developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Unlike the other disabilities previously mentioned, dyspraxia doesn’t affect academic performance firsthand, and instead “impacts an individual’s ability to plan and process motor tasks” through “an immaturity of the organization of movement”, concluded by Medical News Today.

Symptoms of dyspraxia involve poor balance, unusual hand-eye coordination, clumsiness, and difficulty with speech. Around 1 out of 20 adolescents worldwide have dyspraxia.

A common misconception about learning disorders is that those affected are often ‘unintelligent’ or ‘slow’. On the contrary, those with learning disorders hold as much potential as their neurotypical peers, and often have a higher intelligence than the overall population. Before an official diagnosis, one must be determined to have at least an IQ of 85, which falls in the lower average of the overall intelligence quota.

Children with ADHD-which make up around 9.4% of the United States’ minor population-often experience comorbidities with various learning disorders. Indicated by the Learning Disabilities Association of America, up to 20-30% of adolescents diagnosed with ADHD also are found to be affected by a separate learning disorder. While ADHD is not classified as a learning disability, this paired with other challenges and environmental circumstances can create extreme difficulties in one’s daily life.

Sadly, learning disorders tend to go undiagnosed until a child reaches school age, due to most symptoms not visibly appearing until a child reaches kindergarten and is presented with tasks which trigger an already developing mind.

For children with learning disabilities in the US, UK, and Canada, policies are put in place to aid and guide a disabled individual’s educational journey. Known as an IEP, an individualized education plan is built with parents and school administration to best accommodate a student’s learning style and build on their needs through specialized instruction and modifications.

If one requires an IEP to best succeed and thrive, then they are completely obligated by the law to do so. Specific orders on the basis of schoolwork, classroom environment, medical needs, etc. can be issued, no matter how big or small the list may look like.

For those who cannot gain access to an IEP, initiative is required to have the most optimal experience possible throughout their school years. Self-advocacy is key. Whether you can share your concerns with a parent, teacher, administrator, or other trusted adult in your life-just one step in the right path will make all the difference. Those with learning disabilities must persevere and fight to thrive in a world not built for them.

Disabled peoples in the area of learning hold a vastly unique mindset and view on life. Instead of looking upon this fact as a hindrance - we should be appreciating the gift it truly is. The special talents and brightness these individuals hold are something to be cherished in our ever close-minded society.