Learning Disabilities and ADHD

LEARNING DISABILITIES:

"A learning disability is a neurological disorder. In simple terms, a learning disability results from a difference in the way a person's brain is "wired." Children with learning disabilities are as smart or smarter than their peers. But they may have difficulty reading, writing, spelling, reasoning, recalling and/or organizing information if left to figure things out by themselves or if taught in conventional ways.

"A learning disability can't be cured or fixed; it is a lifelong issue. With the right support and intervention, however, children with learning disabilities can succeed in school and go on to successful, often distinguished careers later in life.

"Parents can help children with learning disabilities achieve such success by encouraging their strengths, knowing their weaknesses, understanding the educational system, working with professionals and learning about strategies for dealing with specific difficulties." -LDOnline.org

Who Can Diagnose LD and ADHD?Table explains the role of some of the professionals who provide services. Many of these professionals can suspect LD and/or ADHD but all are not licensed, or have the needed certifications, to diagnose the disorders. It is always important to ask the professional about his/her credentials. When you go to a person in a private practice, not in the school system, it is important to determine if the professional has the needed license to be in private practice and to make the diagnosis of LD and/or ADHD.

National Center for Learning Disabilities
NCLD provides essential information to parents, professionals and individuals with learning disabilities, promotes research and programs to foster effective learning, and advocates for policies to protect and strengthen educational rights and opportunities. Since its beginning, NCLD has been led by passionate and devoted parents committed to creating better outcomes for children, adolescents and adults with learning disabilities

The National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) biennial 2011 report: State of Learning Disabilities: Facts, Trends and Indicators. The pub­li­ca­tion pro­vides the author­i­ta­tive national and state-​​by-​​state snap­shot of learn­ing dis­abil­i­ties (LD) in the United States, and their impact on the abil­ity of stu­dents and adults to achieve edu­ca­tional suc­cess and employ­ment. State of Learning Disabilities also clar­i­fies what a learn­ing dis­abil­ity is and explains the com­mon mis­per­cep­tions asso­ci­ated with LD.

LD OnLine
is an exten­sive web­site on learn­ing dis­abil­i­ties, learn­ing dis­or­ders and dif­fer­ences. Parents and teach­ers of learn­ing dis­abled chil­dren will find author­i­ta­tive guid­ance on ADD/​ADHD, dyslexia, dys­graphia, dyscal­cu­lia, dys­no­mia, read­ing dif­fi­cul­ties, speech and related disorders.

Reading Rockets
Information on learning disabilities Learning Disabilities: An Overview will tell you what a learning disability is, the different types, and the causes.
These briefs describe the specific types of learning disabilities:

Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities
is a non-​​profit orga­ni­za­tion for par­ents of chil­dren and young adults with learn­ing dis­or­ders and ADHD. Their goal is to pro­vide use­ful, author­i­ta­tive infor­ma­tion from experts, prac­ti­cal advice and sup­port from par­ents, and inspi­ra­tion from suc­cess­ful adults liv­ing with LD and ADHD.

LD Online: Central Auditory Processing Disorder: When is Evaluation Referral Indicated?

Executive Function Fact Sheet
Executive func­tion deficits are another man­i­fes­ta­tion of LD.

Processing Deficits
Processing deficits are prob­lems with the processes of rec­og­niz­ing and inter­pret­ing infor­ma­tion taken in through the senses. The two most com­mon areas of pro­cess­ing dif­fi­culty asso­ci­ated with learn­ing dis­abil­i­ties are visual and audi­tory perception.

Nonverbal Learning Disorders (NLD):

NLDA - Nonverbal Learning Disorders Association

LD Online: Nonverbal Learning Disorder
Lists numer­ous arti­cles and stud­ies on non­ver­bal learn­ing disorder

Dyslexia:

Massachusetts Branch of The International Dyslexia Association (MABIDA)
Red Flags for Struggling Readers - Informative brochure of symptoms

Dyslexia Basics

Reading & Dyslexia - Questions and Answers

Dysgraphia:

What is Dysgraphia
Dysgraphia is a learn­ing dis­abil­ity that affects writ­ing abil­i­ties. It can man­i­fest itself as dif­fi­cul­ties with spelling, poor hand­writ­ing and trou­ble putting thoughts on paper.

ADHD:
"Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a condition that becomes apparent in some children in the preschool and early school years. It is hard for these children to control their behavior and/or pay attention. It is estimated that between 3 and 5 percent of children have ADHD, or approximately 2 million children in the United States. This means that in a classroom of 25 to 30 children, it is likely that at least one will have ADHD." -LDOnline.org

ADHD Basics

ADHD
Articles, books, links, Q&A

CHADD
CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention-​​Deficit/​Hyperactivity Disorder) is the nation's lead­ing non-​​profit orga­ni­za­tion serv­ing indi­vid­u­als with ADHD and their fam­i­lies. CHADD has over 16,000 mem­bers in 200 local chap­ters through­out the U.S. which offer sup­port for indi­vid­u­als, par­ents, teach­ers, pro­fes­sion­als, and others.