Learning disorders
One of the hardest consequences of learning disorders is the negative impact it can have on a person’s emotional and social development.
People with learning disorders often become aware of their difficulties from a young age. They start to feel like there is something different about them, which often leads to negative self-talk and self-beliefs.
Before being diagnosed (and even after), people with learning disorders often feel stupid and inferior. Understandably, these thoughts lead to sad, angry and frustrated feelings. These thoughts and feelings then affect behaviour and interactions with other people. This can result in social withdrawal or hesitation, and/or aggressive, compensatory-type behaviours.
People with learning disorders often have difficult relationships with peers and educators, who see them as lazy, difficult or inferior. These difficulties can also impact the child-parent relationship, especially around homework time. It is important to remember that learning disorders are not a reflection of intelligence.
Learning disorders are barriers to learning, which slow the process of converting information into knowledge. We therefore need to find creative ways to break down these barriers, to allow people with learning disorders to achieve their full intellectual potential.
These interventions can vary from case to case, and the assistance of education and health specialists can be useful.
