Common Learning Disabilities

Now we will look at a few of the more common learning disabilities.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

When a child or person has a tangled web of confusion in their mind, it's nearly impossible for the person to focus. This focus is an essential element that is required for a person to learn. Many claims have been made that this condition is one of the most common learning disabilities in the world. There are various symptoms including:

• Difficulty focusing on tasks or even playtime
• Difficulty hearing
• Organizing difficulties
• Short attention spans
• Forgetfulness
• Carelessness
• Loses properties
• Has difficulty staying afloat
• Illustrates difficulty concentrating on one task
• May include hyperactivity
• Difficulty staying in one place for longer than an hour
• Over activity
• Excessive speaking out of turn
• Fidgety
• Relentless energy
• Interruptive

You can break down the symptoms to see how a learning disability is associated with this condition. For example, ADHD includes difficulty hearing, hand and eye coordination impairments, and other elements that make it difficult for a person to learn - such as focus and concentration. Because of this we have to use special tactics to assist these individuals in learning.

Many doctors will place a person with ADHD on medication such as Ritalin and Adderall. These medications work to a degree, but they also have side effects. In fact, Canada recently passed a law against prescribing Adderall XR. This was due to several deaths caused by the drug. It has been found that many of these drugs cause more problems than they do good.

Because of this, it is wise to learn how you can use natural herbs and remedies to treat this condition. Flavay is a common herbal substance that includes Vitamin E, C and Zinc. The Vitamin E helps the body to promote healthy fat cell membranes and Vitamin C enhances the body's requirement of selenium. Zinc has been shown to promote a healthy mind. Other helpful herbs include Spectrient and Concentrated Omega-3. Fish oils have also been found helpful for children.

According to many studies, ADHD will start at youth and continue to affect the individual through their life. It is also said to be a genetic disorder. However, this is not always the case as many children do not show signs until they are teenagers and even as adults.

 Dyslexia

Dyslexia is a learning disorder that many individuals suffer from. In the past people suffering from this condition were simply thought to be dumb, but new studies show that these individuals have a lot that they can teach us. Dyslexia is a brain disturbance that decreases the person's ability to interpret language correctly.

Some individuals may see words as being backwards while others will start to write backwards. This makes it difficult for these people to function because nothing makes sense to them. However, these individuals often excel in observation.
This condition is another that is often misunderstood as a person not being able to learn. In actuality, these individuals are perfectly capable of being able to learn, they just have to work through their learning curve differently.

Schizophrenia

A person with schizophrenia has a mind that is in a psychotic state. Schizophrenic minds have their own set of beliefs and when cross that line they will make up their own rules. If you cross over their beliefs, you can easily put yourself in a dangerous situation.

Many individuals with schizophrenia hear voices outside of their heads and tell them that "you are out to get me." These voices put the person in a state that causes them to be convinced their life is in danger. Paranoid schizophrenics have Grandiosity Personality, which can cause a person to want to fight instead of cower. In some cases, schizophrenias have killed others because they were in fear that someone was out to get them.

Now, you may be wondering how you teach a person with this disability. These individuals also have a very real learning disability as well. These people are not stupid by any means and when they are not hallucinating they are very much aware of the world around them and they are able to learn.

When a schizophrenia outbreak does occur, however, it is apparent from the look in their eyes. The look appears to be dead and even evil. During this state, the person has no ability to learn as their mind is clogged with hallucinations, voices and illusions. This condition is one of the most complex mental conditions that has left many experts at a loss.

There are new medications that claim to help with these psychotic breaks. The problem with teaching during these times is that the person believes they are right and you are wrong. Some schizophrenics may even go as far as believing you have a master plan to destroy them and that you are their enemy. Many individuals with this condition will frequent institutions due to their outbreaks and the opportunity for learning there is often very limited.

Another issue with teaching a person such as this is that when they are not in psychotic mode they are very convincing. They have even fooled lying detector machines into believing that they are normal and that there is nothing wrong with them. This poses a serious threat to researchers who are trying to learn more about this condition.

When a person is in symptom mode, you have better luck getting a wall to talk back to you than you have trying to teach anything to the individual. This is the only mental condition with a learning disability that the person cannot learn during without medication. The problem is that many of these individuals will rebel against taking medications. Also, if the wrong medications are prescribed, you are placing yourself in a very dangerous position.

Whether or not these individuals can learn depends on the type of schizophrenia they possess. Paranoid schizophrenics are very complicated individuals and it is difficult to teach them and it is difficult for them to learn. Some researchers believe that a person can be schizophrenic without a learning disorder, but this is questionable.

Auditory Processing Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention deficit disorder may also be known as Auditory Processing Hyperactive Disorder. This is a complicated condition in which the individual has a hard time understanding and making sense of auditory stimulus. Thus, they have a hard time learning.

Auditory Process Hyperactive Disorder is an epidemic problem that many individuals suffer from. The Auditory Process Hyperactive Disorder affects thousands of adults and children. Symptoms typically include:

• Inability to use common sense
• Habitually verbalize forwardly without concern of hurting other's feelings
• Sense of intense boredom
• Impulsive outbursts
• Act before thinking about consequences
• Disregard consequences of their actions by making excuses for their behavior

This condition is often active because the cranial nerve joins the inner ear, connecting to the brain and transferring impulses, which also controls the balance in the hearing and creates a learning disability.
 
Once hyperactivity increases, the symptoms of the condition may expand to include behavior that is out of control. The problem is that the person's hearing is off balance and the central nervous system is has hyperactivity explosions, voiding any ability to think positively or clearly.

It is also important that treatment is consistent to avoid complications. Unfortunately, many individuals with this disorder resort to alcohol and or drugs to find relief. Drug and alcohol may increase suicidal tendencies in these individuals. It is important that these people avoid substances to avoid additional problems. Alcohol and drugs affect the brain as well and can decrease the ability to learn as well.

Autism

Autism is a syndrome that comes from exhibiting certain combinations or patterns of behavior. Low functioning autism is the term used to describe autistic individuals that are not able to function or deal with every day life. Normal to high functioning autism is used to describe people that exhibit autistic behaviors that are in fact able to deal with real world activities and normal day to day life.

Many people diagnosed with autism end up living in less then ideal conditions. Autism is a developmental disorder, that affects many areas of human function such as language, and the ability to communicate. It affects self-help skills, coordination, and the ability of an individual to learn.

Common Behaviors

There are several common traits that will aid in the diagnosis of autism. These traits include, the tendency to stay in isolation or be away from others. Autistic individuals will have a hard time making friends and will seem very awkward in social situations. An autistic person will very rarely look some else in the eye. They will be very naive and easily swayed or manipulated. They are often quite gullible.

When an autistic person speaks they will often so so using very formal language. They may speak in a monotone and their use of body language may be very poor. (such as nodding "no" while saying "yes". Autistic people will generally prefer common routines, they may be very literal in their use of language and may remember and recite a lot of detail without having a lot of understanding. They may also exhibit hyper- or hypo- sensitivity of the senses, have odd tastes in food and clothing as well as very fine or very grossly exaggerated motor coordination.

The more of the above traits an individual exhibits the more severe the case of autism is said to be. In some cases the above symptoms may become helpfully in certain disciplines like science, math, and engineering. These disciplines require a lot of memorization and many autistic's are quite proficient in these subjects as a result.

Autism and ADHD?

There has been some discussion on about a genetic as well as behavioral link between ADHD and autism. Some experts believe that ADHD should be put considered as a form of autistic spectrum disorder. It is quite common to have children diagnosed with both ADHD and autism together. In children, the two disorders seem very much alike.

As the individuals age, the disorders grow and become more apparent. Children with ADHD will often develop normal social skills and be able to communicate with their peers and with others. Autistic children however will continue to show symptoms even as they age. there is still much to learn about the autism spectrum. Even with current advances in technology and medical science, a cure for this condition remains a mystery. The more we study the sooner we will understand the disorder and be able to help those who are diagnosed with this condition.

To find out more about autism, please visit our www.funnywiring.com site.

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