Learning disabilities are as varied as the people that have them. There are several main types of learning disabilities: Language, Calculation, Motor Skills and Communication Disorders. All of these have different signs and symptoms and can be present in varying degrees.
There are, however, a number of common signs of learning disabilities:
Early Developmental Signs
- Development delays in speaking, using or understanding the spoken language
- Difficulty understanding or following simple instructions
- Pausing or thinking before naming objects, colors or shapes, especially if previously known
- Disinterest in books or disliking being read to
- Problems with drawing, coloring or delays in writing letters
- Large and fine motor coordination problems
- Short or limited attention span
- Problems with pronouncing words
- Limited or slow growth of vocabulary
- Difficulty with rhyming words
- Difficulty playing with other children
Elementary School Age Signs
- Development delays in speaking, using or understanding the spoken language
- Difficulty understanding or following simple instructions
- Pausing or thinking before naming objects, colors or shapes, especially if previously known
- Disinterest in books or disliking being read to
- Problems with drawing, coloring or delays in writing letters
- Large and fine motor coordination problems
- Short or limited attention span
- Problems with pronouncing words
- Limited or slow growth of vocabulary
- Difficulty with rhyming words
- Difficulty playing with other children
Elementary School Age Signs
- Difficulty understanding or following directions or instructions
- Short term memory problems or trouble remembering what they were just told or taught
- Difficulty with directions, such as right/left, up/down
- Reversing letters, such as “b” and “d” or “p” and “q”
- Inability to master reading, writing, spelling or math
- Problems with large or fine motor coordination
- Loses track of time, inability to estimate how much time something will take
- Loses track of items and loses books or homework
- Inability to understand concepts of time, such as “today,” “tomorrow,” and “yesterday”
- Difficulty with sequencing or patterns
- Completing long-term assignments
- Forgetting people’s names, test dates, basic math facts or information recently studied
- Difficulty with social interactions
