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Unit 17 : Identification: Causes, Problems of Learning Disabilities

(iv) Severely .................. children cannot profit from regular classroom instruction. Notes
(v) In ........................... areas particularly, trained professionals are not available.

17.2 Etiology of LD Children (Causes)

The causes of learning disability could be organised under organic, environmental and genetic.
(1) Organic Causes : LD arises because of Minimal Brain Dysfunction (MBD). The dysfunction
occurs in central nervous system which consists of the brain and the spinal cord. The
malfunctioning is not due to damage, but due to dysfunction which is only minimal. Minimal
brain dysfunction arises due to (a) cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral disease because of high fever,
head injury, (b) intrauterine environment premature birth, anoxia, physical trauma, (c)
constitutional-genetic-neurochemical dysfunction. It must be noted that all brain dysfunctions
are not associated with learning disability and all types of learning disability do not arise due
to brain dysfunction.
Any factor that can cause neurological damage can cause learning problems.
(2) Genetic Causes : Learning problems and hyperactivity run in families. Nearly 20% of hyperactive
children had one parent hyperactive. Children with Turner’s syndrome have higher incidence
of learning disabilities.
(3) Environmental Causes : Maternal factors known to have a negative effect include the use of
drugs, the consumption of alcohol and contraction of rubella. Complications during pregnancy
such as anoxia (loss of Oxygen), birth injury causing brain damage, and children who received
neonatal intensive care subsequently become LD. Learning disability may be caused due to
insufficient early experience and stimulation. It is also caused by poor or inadequate instruction.

Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar is a cause of learning problem.

17.3 Problems of Learning Disabled Children

These children are like other children in intellectual functioning. They are not mentally retarded, nor
do they have visual or hearing problems. But they have problems in spelling, reading, writing,
arithmetic listening and comprehension because of difficulties in their psychological process,
particularly in perception. The problem may be due to cerebral dysfunction/emotional/behavioural
disturbance, but it is not due to mental retardation, sensory deprivation or cultural instructional
practices. They can be categorized into mildly and severely learning disabled.
The mild learning disabled can be educated in regular schools. Such children are to be found in regular
schools. They are, however, difficult to identify at the initial stages. They face problems in learning
basic academic skills. The problem may occur in one or more area of learning skill but of a relatively
mild degree. The child can be helped if identified early and given proper training and practice. Since
their problem is mild in nature these children can be integrated for higher classes in general schools
with some adaptation and adjustment in the curriculum.
The severe learning disabled include those who manifest and inability to master basic academic skills
(reading, writing etc.). Their problem may be due to brain dysfunction or environmental deprivation.
It is difficult to integrate such children in general schools.
Children with learning disability differ in their behavioural characteristices. But all of them have a
severe discrepancy between achievement and intellectual ability. This is the basic problem that they
face. But there may also be secondary problems like emotional, and social maladjustment associated
with the basic skills. A description of these problems has been given below :
(1) Attention Disorders of LD : Attentional problems are shown to affect student’s test taking
abilities because attend to inappropriate distracters.

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