Myths and Misconceptions about Learning Disabilities
All teachers and physicians are experts in learning disabilities. Professionals in child health and education often have a limited understanding of the nature of learning disabilities.
Parents may have to search for the appropriate expertise to diagnose and manage their child. This deficiency in professional training is especially serious since "understanding" is one of the most
effective and inexpensive ways of treating LD.
Since learning disabilities are so common, they must be easy to diagnose. Learning disabilities are
very often "hidden disabilities" -- although they commonly occur they are often difficult to spot.
While some children exhibit striking signs of LD and clear patterns on simple screening tests, others will need careful and extensive assessment by an interdisciplinary team to identify an underlying
learning disability or disabilities.
IEPs mean that students will go to special education classes.
Interventions for most children with learning disabilities can occur in the regular classroom; the IEP simply formulates how such interventions will be implemented.
It is the regular teacher's job to teach all children, regardless of so-called disabilities.
Learning disabilities represent a complex challenge to the regular classroom setting and one that needs
to be addressed with a wide variety of intervention strategies -- a variety that demands the involvement of a number of different professionals. Close working relationships with other
professionals should prevent the teacher from feeling alone, overburdened or abandoned.
Some special medication, diet or other treatment can "cure" learning disabilities.
There is no magic pill, quick fix or one-stop cure for learning disabilities. When a diagnosis of LD is made, parents should be told that they are in for the "long haul." Love, support, attention and
understanding remain the mainstays of long-term treatment of LD.
Children outgrow learning disabilities.
Learning disabilities are life long. However, many adults with LD who receive special attention as children will build strategies to successfully adapt to life's challenges.
Most children who experience difficulties with learning are just "slow."
Learning disabilities occur in children at all levels of intellectual ability. Some children with LD are
bright enough to be academically gifted, some are average, and a few are below average. The specific neurological deficits that cause learning disabilities are distinct and separate from general cognitive ability.
Poor parenting causes learning disabilities.
Childrearing patterns and home discipline may have an impact on classroom behavior, and parental
involvement in education certainly has an effect on a child's enthusiasm for and success in school, but parenting skills have no association with the presence or absence of learning disabilities.
Learning disabilities affect everything at school.
Learning disabilities are relative phenomena. The underlying patterns of strengths and weaknesses
that cause LD may not seriously association with the presence or absence of learning disabilities, association with the presence or absence of learning disabilities, or at one grade level but may account
for significant difficulties in another class or at a different grade level.
Learning disabled students have school problems because they don't try hard enough.
Learning disabilities are not motivational. Ironically, even if an LD student claims not to want to try at school he or she may simply be covering up for their fear of failure. A child will sooner resort to saying,
"I won't" than admit the more frightening, "I can't." It is up to adults to help children with LD learn to compensate successfully.
From The Invisible Disability, published by NHEC and LDA, 1996
