Introduction

Specific Learning Disorder (SLD), as defined in DSM-5.

 According to DSM-5, SLD is a type of neurodevelopment disorder that impedes a person’s ability to learn and use specific academic skills, such as reading, writing and arithmetic, which serve as the foundation for most other academic learning. SLD is a clinical diagnosis and is not necessarily synonymous with ‘learning difficulties’.

Characteristics of children with learning problems

In a child, the visible and most alarming indicator of learning problem to parents and teachers is the failure in class tests and examinations. When a child consistently shows poor performance in one or more subjects in school, he should be testes to confirm or rule out learning problems. Other characteristics found in such children include deficits in:

• Visual perception
• Auditory perception
• Visual motor activities
• Conceptualization
• Memory
• Attention

A discrepancy between actual performance of the student and the expected performance in class is an indicator of learning problems.

Many children with learning problems are found to be:

• Impulsive
• Poor in comprehension
• Disorganized
• Having low self esteem
• Having unpredictable behavior
• Withdrawn
• Communicating poorly
• Anxious
• Moody
• Having difficulty in problem solving
• Confused
• Fidgety

Specific types of learning disabilities and related disorders

LEARNING DISABILITY Terminology
Disability	Area of difficulty	Symptoms include trouble with	Example
Dyslexia	Processing language	·         Reading ·         Writing ·         Spelling	Confusing letter names and sounds, difficulties blending sounds into words, slow rate of reading, trouble remembering after reading text
Dyscalculia	Math skills	·         Computation ·         Remembering math facts ·         Concepts of time and money	Difficulty learning to count by 2s, 3s, 4s, poor mental math skills, problems with spatial directions
Dysgraphia	Written expression	·         Handwriting ·         Spelling ·         Composition	Illegible handwriting, difficulty organizing ideas for writing
Dyspraxia	Fine motor skills	·         Coordination ·         Manual dexterity	Trouble with scissors, buttons, drawing
Information Processing Disorders
Auditory Processing Disorder	Interpreting auditory information	·         Language development ·         Reading	Difficulty anticipating how a speaker will end a sentence
Visual Processing Disorder	Interpreting visual information	·         Reading ·         Writing ·         Math	Difficulty distinguishing letters like “h” and “n”
Other Related Disorders
Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)	Concentration and focus	·         Over-activity ·         Distractibility ·         Impulsivity	Can't sit still, loses interest quickly, daydreams

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