3 Common Learning Disorders

Posted on August 14, 2018

If a child struggles during their early school days, it is highly possible for him or her to develop a learning disorder. The sooner it is being discovered, the earlier an intervention can be provided to tackle the situation. The 3 main types of learning disorders to watch out for are Dyslexia, Dyscalculia (Math disorder) and Dysgraphia.

1. Dyslexia

Dyslexia is the most common learning disorder out of the 3. Symptoms of Dyslexia include difficulty in processing sounds, decoding words, spelling and reading. Most of the time, children are diagnosed with the hereditary condition around the age of 9 or 10 years old. An effective way to treat Dyslexia involves a structured literacy multi-sensory intervention programme called Orton-Gillingham. It was developed by a neurologist and teacher, replicated and proven to be the most effective gold standard intervention thus far.

2. Dyscalculia

Symptoms of Dyscalculia include poor visual and spatial skills, and the lack of understanding about numbers.

3. Dysgraphia

Signs indicating possible Dysgraphia include having difficulties with motor skills such as holding a pen or forming letters, having trouble with spelling and difficulty in making sense of one's thoughts and writing them down.

Approximately 50% of children with learning disorders also have ADHD. There is often a misconception that ADHD is caused by bad parenting. In fact, it is developed biologically and it is something that runs in families.

If your child has a learning disorder, talk about it with their respective teachers and ensure that they have a record of your child's special education plan. Should you have any concerns regarding your child's learning abilities, do not wait. Instead, seek help from a medical institution, have your child evaluated and start by solving the root cause of their struggles.


Category(s):Intellectual Disability, Learning Difficulties

Source material from WDRB