Learning Disorders
Learning disorders, also known as learning disabilities, are a group of neurological and cognitive conditions that affect an individual’s ability to acquire, process, store, or produce information in a typical manner. These disorders can interfere with an individual’s ability to learn, read, write, speak, calculate, or perform other specific academic or everyday tasks. Learning disorders are distinct from intellectual disabilities and are not solely due to factors like lack of educational opportunities, sensory impairments, or environmental factors.
why Learning disorders is important in Neuropsychology?
Neuropsychologists investigate the brain structures and networks involved in learning and related cognitive functions. They study how differences or impairments in brain areas responsible for language processing, reading, math, memory, attention, and executive functions contribute to the symptoms of learning disorders.
- My child is falling behind in school, I’m worried she may have a learning disorder.
- Does my child need additional time to complete assignments and tests?
- Does my child need accommodations for standardized testing?
A child’s primary “job” is learning. When a child fails to acquire academic skills as expected, this failure may mean the presence of subtle brain dysfunction of a developmental nature. The critical issue is to identify brain-related dysfunction, so that academic and behavioral interventions can begin in a timely fashion and maximize a child’s benefit from schooling. Early, appropriate intervention can reduce the likelihood that the child will experience continued failure, which may lead to more severe emotional or behavioral difficulties. These types of interventions may include environmental modifications, remediation, rehabilitation, or the introduction of compensatory strategies.