Types of Learning and Developmental Disabilities

Types of Learning and Developmental Disabilities

Are you concerned about how your child functions either at home or in school? Is he or she lagging behind his peers or older siblings at a learning disabilities, developmental disabilitiessimilar age? Are typical developmental milestones related to walking, language or fine motor skills missed or delayed? Then consult with your pediatrician in Las Vegas, NV, Dr. Nasreen Majid or Dr. Susan Hirata. Their expertise in diagnosing and treating chronic and acute illness and in tracking your children's mental, physical and emotional development help you care for your youngster as he or she navigates the challenges of childhood.

Types of learning disabilities

Researchers at the National Institute of Health state that simply because a child struggles with a learning task or area of study, this necessarily does not indicate a learning disability. However, if the problem continues over time, your pediatrician in Las Vegas, NV, may recommend additional testing from the school psychologist or an independent expert, such as an audiologist or neuropsychologist.

Typical learning disabilities affect how a youngster speaks, listens, moves, pays attention, calculates and reads. You may have heard of many of the following disabilities:

  • Dyslexia affects handwriting, math computation, telling time, sequential memory and reading comprehension.
  • Dyscalculia expresses in handwriting that is illegible for the child's age.
  • Dysgraphia is a math/arithmetic disability.
  • Dyspraxia involves noise and touch sensitivity, poor coordination and task organization and balance issues.

Some lesser known disabilities are Central Auditory Processing Disorder, in which a child struggles to interpret the sounds and ideas he or she hears, and ADD and ADHD which combine behavioral abnormalities with learning problems. Difficulty concentrating and completing tasks along with hyperactivity are common to both Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in varying degrees.

Types of developmental disabilities

Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, autism, and hearing/vision loss rank high in prevalence among American children. Crossing socioeconomic, ethnic, and racial boundaries, these disabilities vary from mild to profound and affect a full 15 percent of young Americans, says the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta.

Similar to learning disabilities, developmental issues may change how a child learns, speaks and processes the world around him, but additionally, these disorders impact mobility, independent functioning and the ability to earn a living. Many experts in academia, medicine and psychology link these disabilities to birth defects, prenatal stress, nutritional deficits and environmental toxins (such as lead).

What you can do

If you see some differences in your child which worry you, please contact LaCanada Pediatrics for an appointment with your Las Vegas, NV, pediatrician. She will review your child's medical and developmental history and address your concerns with genuine interest and compassion. As necessary, Dr. Majid and Dr. Hirata refer their patients to medical, speech/hearing and learning specialists to pinpoint the exact nature of your child's struggles and differences. Please don't wait; call today for a personal consultation: (702) 796-1820.