A learning disorder is defined as difficulty in an academic area (reading, mathematics or written expression). The child's ability to achieve in the specific academic area is below what is expected for the child's age, educational level and level of intelligence. The difficulty experienced by the child is severe enough to interfere with academic achievement or age-appropriate normal activities of daily living. Learning disorders are sometimes called learning disabilities or specific learning disabilities. Most children with learning disorders have normal intelligence.
Who Is Affected by Learning Disorders?
10-30% of children have learning disorders. Mathematics disorder is estimated to affect 1% of school-aged children. Reading disorders are more common in children of parents who experienced a learning disorder. Boys are more likely to be diagnosed with a reading disorder than girls.
Types of Learning Disorders
- Reading Disorders (including dyslexia): A reading disorder is present when a child reads below the expected level given their age, grade in school and intelligence. Children with a reading disorder read slowly and have difficulty understanding what they read. They may have difficulty with word recognition and confuse words that look similar. A reading disorder is sometimes called dyslexia.
- Mathematics Disorder: A mathematics disorder is present when a child has problems with skills related to numbers, such as counting, copying numbers correctly, adding and carrying numbers, learning multiplication tables, recognizing mathematical signs and understanding mathematical operations.
- Disorder of Written Expression: A disorder of written expression is present when a child has difficulty with writing skills, such as understanding grammar and punctuation, spelling, paragraph organization or composing written information. Often these children also have poor handwriting skills.
