Learning Disability and how to assist

Learning Difficulties

Imagine having something very important to say but you just cant get your thoughts across or make the person understand what you are trying to convey. You may feel bombarded by sights and sounds, unable to focus your attention.

You may not need to imagine this, you may understand it. You might be the parent or relative of a child experiencing learning problems, or have a loved one in your family diagnosed as learning disabled.Although different from person to person, learning difficulties are common daily experiences of many children and adults. Those with a learning disability may experience a feeling of failure and low self-esteem.

OK, enough doom and gloom. It is important to understand that those with learning disabilities can and do learn and learn well. 

This type of disability usually only affects certain limited areas of development, rarely are learning disabilities severe enough to prevent a person living a happy and normal life. This can effect a persons life a lot or very little. One thing is sure and that is our understanding, reaction and response to the person with learning difficulties, drastically effects that person.

Being patient, trying to understand and treating the person with respect greatly reduces their frustration and anxiety, helps them relax, feel less tense but most of all gives them time to think without pressure or fear of failure.

This article is not designed to tell you all about learning difficulties, it is merely here to help you understand and relate with confidence and in doing so ease the pressure for the learning disabled to better cope with their disability.

For more details on learning difficulties and how to assist, see Mencap at www.mencap.org.uk 

Robin

www.access-auditing.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Robin is a Disability Discrimination Act access auditor helping businesses meet the needs of all disabled people.

Written by: Robin Kettle