What is a learning disability?
The short answer is that a learning disability is different for every person who has one.
There are different types of learning disability which can be mild, moderate, severe or profound.
Someone with a severe learning disability may need full-time care and support with every aspect of their life. Someone with a mild learning disability may only need support with things like learning how to travel safely on their own or getting a job.
A learning disability is a lifelong condition.
What can cause a learning disability?
A learning disability occurs when the brain is still developing – before, during or soon after birth.
Before birth, things can happen to the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) that can cause a learning disability. A child can be born with a learning disability if the mother has an accident or illness while she is pregnant, or if the unborn baby develops certain genes.
A person can be born with a learning disability if he or she does not get enough oxygen during childbirth, has trauma to the head, or is born too early.
After birth, a learning disability can be caused by early childhood illnesses, accidents and seizures.
Is autism a learning disability?
No.
Autism (also referred to as autism spectrum disorder, ASD ) is not a learning disability but around half of people with autism may also have a learning disability.
Autism is a lifelong developmental disability which affects how people communicate and interact with the world. It is a spectrum condition affecting people in different ways.
There are 3 common features of autism which might affect a way a person
- interacts with others in a social situation
- is able to communicate with others
- experiences the world around them
Is a learning disability the same as a learning difficulty?
No.
Learning disabilities is often confused with learning difficulties such as Dyslexia, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Dyspraxia. There are many different types of learning difficulties which can also range from mild to severe.
