Everyone learns differently, but some struggle more than others. For some, their struggles aren’t merely the result of personal differences, but diagnosable learning disabilities.
It should be noted that learning disabilities have nothing to do with intelligence, so those who suffer from them should not be misconstrued as being “less smart.” Learning disabilities are, in fact, neurological dysfunctions that disrupt the way a person’s brain processes information.
Unfortunately, there are no “cures” for learning disabilities. However, early diagnosis and treatment can reduce their negative effects. Having a learning disability does not automatically disqualify an individual from achieving academic success. Studies show that children who receive treatment for learning disabilities early in life are better equipped to cope with disabilities and often develop ways of “working around” them.
How can learning disabilities be treated? What are some common types of learning disabilities and childhood developmental disorders? And how can educational efforts be optimized to give our children the best chance at overcoming these obstacles?
Common Disabilities & Disorders
There are many different kinds of learning disabilities and developmental disorders with many different types of symptoms. Some of the more common learning disabilities are dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyspraxia, and dyscalculia.
Dyslexia is a disability that makes reading and writing difficult by affecting how a child’s brain processes language. It is not always expressed through spelling issues, as many people assume; it can also manifest as issues with person-to-person communication, grammar, and reading comprehension.
Dysgraphia is related to dyslexia in that it specifically inhibits a child’s writing ability, although unlike dyslexia, it does this in part by affecting their motor skills. It shares this with dyspraxia, which can inhibit a child’s coordination and balance, leading to difficulties in writing and typing, speech problems, and hypersensitivity to sensory data.
Finally, dyscalculia affects a child’s ability to comprehend numbers and solve math problems. This can be expressed through difficulties with things as simple as basic counting, number recognition, and times tables memorization.
Each of these disabilities can manifest differently from child to child, and they’re far from the only information processing and developmental disorders that make learning problematic. Other conditions, such as attention deficit disorder (ADD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and even Tourettes syndrome, can qualify as learning disabilities.
The Role of the Educational System
Since 1975, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) has entitled all U.S. children with learning disorders to free special education services through the public school system. Ideally, each child is evaluated individually so that their unique issues can be pinpointed. An individualized education program can be drafted to help develop their strengths and compensate for their weaknesses.
Unfortunately, this process often requires special training that can be expensive. Many schools don’t have the resources to fully accommodate children with learning disabilities.
If possible, parents should try to build their child’s confidence and self-esteem by finding what they’re good at—whether it be a school subject, athletic activity, or creative endeavor—and encouraging them in it. Looking for ways to relate other academic lessons through the “language” of something your child already understands is a good way of helping them learn.
Ultimately, though, treating learning disabilities is not something any parent can do on their own. Parents need to be willing to seek outside help, especially from experienced healthcare professionals.
Recommended Forms of Treatment
Treating a child’s learning disabilities as early as possible is essential to providing them with the best possible chance to improve their abilities despite neurological dysfunction. It can even go a long way towards reigning that dysfunction in so it doesn’t become worse.
Both prescription medications and behavioral therapy can help certain children. However, at the Carolina Brain Center, we know that other forms of treatment can be just as effective, if not more so. Our unique holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to treatment focuses entirely on functional neurology, biochemistry, and nutrition. In other words, instead of treating just individual symptoms and conditions, we work to treat the underlying causes.
Often, childhood learning disabilities such as dyslexia, OCD, and ADD result from weakened neurological pathways in either the left or right hemisphere of the brain. By identifying specific weakened pathways, we can create a customized treatment plan—including neurological stimulation and dietary recommendations—to help strengthen them. In conjunction with specialized education efforts, this form of treatment can help make permanent, positive changes in your child.
Don’t waste thousands of dollars on expensive but ineffective treatment options that never get to the root of the problem. If you have a child who requires dyslexia, OCD, or ADD treatment in Raleigh, NC, or help with any other developmental disabilities, the Carolina Brain Center can help. Contact us today for more information.