A learning disability is a neurological disorder. Children with learning disabilities are as smart as or smarter than their peers. But they may have difficulty in reading, writing, spelling, reasoning, recalling, and/or organizing information if left to figure things out by themselves or if taught in conventional ways.

A learning disability can’t be cured or fixed; it is a lifelong issue. With the right support and intervention, however, children with learning disabilities can succeed in school and go on to successful, often distinguished careers later in life.

Parents can help children with learning disabilities achieve such success by encouraging their strengths, knowing their weaknesses, understanding the educational system, working with professionals, and learning about strategies for dealing with specific difficulties.

Reading Difficulties

1. Dislikes and avoids reading
2. Reads slowly and painfully
3. Poor reading skills
4. Missing out on the words in between reading
5. Missing outlines while reading
6. Repeating the same sentences
7. Reads without pause in between
8. Confusion with similar words by reading (bread and beard)
9. Sequencing errors (was/saw; on/no)
10. Confuses similar-looking letters (b, p, d and q)

Writing difficulties

1. Dislikes and avoids writing
2. Delays in learning to write
3. Difficulty in remembering shapes of letters and numbers
4. Frequent letter and number reversals (mirror writing)
5. Omits letters from words and words from sentences
6. Inaccurate copying
7. Cannot spot errors in own work
8. Difficulty preparing outlines and organizing written work
9. Poor and illegible handwriting
10. Giving inadequate pressure on the hand while writing

Arithmetic difficulties

1. Confusion between similar numbers
2. Incorrect problem-solving strategies
3. Has difficulty with comparisons (less than, greater than)
4. Has trouble telling time
5. Has trouble learning multiplication tables, formulas, and rules
6. Has trouble interpreting graphs and charts
7. Incorrect problem-solving strategies
8. Shows difficulty understanding concepts of place value, quantity, number lines, positive and negative value, carrying and borrowing
9. Is challenged to make changes and handle money.
10. Has difficulty understanding concepts related to time such as days, weeks, months, seasons, quarters, etc.