What are Learning Disorders (LD)?
Learning Disorders can be defined as those difficulties that appear in childhood in a sustained manner in children with an adequate level of intelligence, a social and academic environment also correct, but who do not achieve the goals set for their developmental age, so they are also included in the Neurodevelopmental Disorders.
It is one of the main causes of school failure and low performance. According to the series, it affects 5-10% of children, so it is a relatively frequent problem. We have to take into account its high comorbidity with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), so in case of detection of any AT, we must look for the possibility of ADHD, and vice versa, those children with ADHD, we must look for possible associated AT.
What are the main AT and what does each one consist of?
- Dyslexia: or difficulties in the acquisition of reading, is by far the most common. It affects children who may do well in other subjects, but have a hard time decoding phonemes and understanding grammatical rules and orthographic forms. Even at adult ages they read very slowly, with poor reading comprehension and write with many spelling mistakes.
- Dyscalculia: or difficulties in performing mathematical operations. They have many difficulties in both numerical processing and calculation. These are children who have had many difficulties in understanding calendars, schedules, number sequences, among others.
- Non-verbal learning disorder: these are children who have difficulties in organizing spaces and adapting to new situations. They usually have difficulties in coordination and sociability. However, there are no language difficulties, in many occasions they overlap with the symptoms of Asperger’s Syndrome.
- Specific language disorder: These are children who have taken longer to speak and when they have done so, they are not understood outside the family environment, they tend to isolate themselves due to the lack of language, although they try to communicate in other ways.
Why do they appear? What causes them?
It is known that they are disorders of a neurobiological origin, with a genetic origin that in most cases has affected relatives, often the father or mother. Today there are many studies underway looking for genes involved in these disorders, but we still have a lot to know, for example, why some siblings develop these disorders and others do not.
Is there any way to prevent them?
As we have said, it is a neurobiological, familial and hereditary disorder. So we have to try to make an early diagnosis.
How are they diagnosed? How important is an early diagnosis of a learning disorder?
Until now, teachers were the first to realize that learning difficulties were appearing. Nowadays, parents are the first to notice the appearance of difficulties. A correct and complete neuropsychological assessment is necessary to determine the IQ and search for these disorders, as well as an assessment by a neuropediatrician to assess the presence of comorbidity with ADHD, which in dyslexia can be up to 65% of cases and that will interfere in the work to be done with these children.
An early diagnosis is essential, both in children and adolescents, because in this way we will begin an appropriate treatment and allow to overcome these difficulties. We will avoid the appearance of other problems in mood, motivation, self-esteem or behavior.