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Learning disabilities are on the rise, or so it seems. One reason for this phenomenon is the increased ability to recognize learning disabilities, and better understanding of their manifestations. No longer confined to two categories, normal and not normal, students are being sorted into ever more categories of types of disabilities.

While some learning disabilities can be prevented, the majority of them cannot, or at least we do not know how to prevent them. We have only recently begun to fully understand how to treat them. In general, disabilities that can be prevented, as far as we know, are more likely to be more severe than learning disabilities. By definition, those with learning disabilities are above average in intelligence, but they have one or more areas where they do not live up to the promise of their IQ.

I personally have a learning disability in basic math. We could dissect my past to look for reasons I suffer with this, but that would not explain why my daughter also has it. Since we have discovered learning disabilities running in families that might lead us to believe genetics cause learning disabilities. The research is still out, so we cannot say that all LD is caused by genetics, but they may have a big part in it.

The best thing you can do if you want to prevent learning disabilities is to see a doctor as soon as you know you are pregnant, take your vitamins, eat right, avoid alcohol and other poisons, and just take care of yourself during pregnancy. Then take care of your baby after pregnancy, offering them good nutrition, an active life, lots of touch and time spent with them learning about life from early on. In the end, that may not prevent a learning disability, but it will definitely give your child a good start in life otherwise.

In lieu of prevention, the best thing to do is to diagnose it early and get help as soon as possible, not to simply offer them a crutch, but to find specific things you can do to help your child overcome his/her disability or learn to function around it. The sooner you discover a learning disability, the sooner you can counteract, not only the learning problems, but the psychological issues inherent in not being able to do things others find easy. Educators often debate the pros and cons labeling of children, but in the end, your child will be labeled in some way or several. Proactive parenting allows you the opportunity to decide when, if, how, your child receives that label, and how it will play out in his/her education.

No one will ever care about the issues in your child's life as much as you do, so it's very important to be aware, and to take steps to give your child the tools to deal with his/her learning disability, just as you would give him/her medical care for an illness. Others will put your child second in the hustle and bustle of paper work, etc. if you do not advocate for them. If you've done all you can and your child still has a learning disability, take a role as their champion, their helper, and the one who loves them just as they are: no matter what.

Learn more about this author, Angela S. Young.
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