How Learning Disabilities Affect Self-Esteem, Anxiety, and Emotional Health
Imagine a life that, in a single moment, leaves a person and their family struggling with a new permanent reality. Once full of life, a treasured family member is restricted to a wheelchair. Someone with a physical disability like paralysis would have the emotional grieving phase, starting with denial, shock, anger, rage, anxiety, alienation, and slow acceptance of the situation. Often, following the psychological path of adapting to any handicap, whether acquired accidentally or known throughout a lifetime. According to UNICEF, there are nearly 240 million children with disabilities worldwide, representing approximately 1 in every 10 children. This offers a strong foundation for grasping the emotional disturbance also present with a lifelong ‘learning disability diagnosis.’ Some lives transform overnight, while others go through a slower, more insidious change. Unlike a physical injury from an accident, a learning disability is usually an intangible handicap that shows itself slowly over time. There is a series of growing difficulties, not one traumatic event. Let’s uncover how a learning disability affects a child and the difficulties they face throughout their life. We will also glance at the different types of learning disabilities, along with a few real-life examples. What Do You Understand By The Term “Learning Disabilities”? A neurological condition called a specific learning disability (SLD) modifies how a person’s brain is connected. This shapes their intake, organization, recollection, and expression of data. It is essential to remember that having an SLD does not necessarily reflect a person’s intellect; most people with an SLD have average to above-average intelligence. The term is occasionally misunderstood as a learning issue that may be conquered with extra time or modifications in learning approaches. An SLD is a lifelong condition that demands continuous assistance. From kindergarten, a child may feel discomfort or that something is not exactly right; this sense increases with each grade. A parent might first deny the issue, citing the teacher or their school system. Secondly, assuming their parents believe they are stupid, a child may become infuriated at the diagnosis. What Are The Types Of Learning Disabilities? There are mainly four types of specific learning disabilities, and understanding the primary difficulties related to each type can help reduce the struggle. 1. Dyslexia It is a learning disability that has affected nearly 10% of the global population, resulting in difficulties in speaking, reading fluently, and understanding words. The struggle is above books and homework. It is hard to understand jokes and idioms, and not be able to find the right words to say in a conversation, or understand body language. Read Also: Understanding Dyslexia: Symptoms and Types 2. Dysgraphia Dysgraphia is a learning disability that affects 5% to 20% of school-going children. In such cases, an individual’s ability to exhibit clear and consistent writing is required. People with dysgraphia may intensely dislike writing and lose interest or struggle to organize their thoughts. 3. Dyscalculia It is a disability that causes an individual to struggle with arithmetic concepts and logical sequences. The problem goes beyond the classroom; it has affected 2% to 8% of the global population. A person might not know how to handle a budget or read a bus schedule. 4. Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NVLD) NVLD generally challenges the way an individual perceives the world around them. For example, reading a map feels like solving a puzzle, and they are unable to understand body language. They won’t understand a basic task because their brains translate signals and sequences differently. Read Also: ADHD: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention How to Help a Child with a Learning Disability? Identifying learning challenges in the early years can change a child’s development route, and it helps boost their confidence. The brains of young children are most fragile and adaptable in the first three years of life, making strong positioning more effective when help is provided at the beginning. Parents and relatives are a child’s closest and primary support system, but they must channelise their own feelings of sorrow and denial. A person should overcome their emotions and reach a phase of acceptance; they can now obtain and guide their child. This requires a broader perspective, and parents must reframe their thinking about the disability and then talk to their child in a way that doesn’t damage their confidence. It is important to provide a child with their language to describe themselves and their thoughts. Parents and relatives must support a “growth mindset” by celebrating efforts rather than just grades. This teaches the child that trying their best is enough and their efforts are valued. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has been effectively adapted in such cases. Therapists use visuals, symbols, and simple sign language to help children identify and create a thought pattern with a more practical approach. Social skills training is another appropriate way to help an individual cope with learning disabilities emotional effects because many of the emotional and social challenges are unsettling. So, focusing on present-day problem-solving empowers a child with coping skills for daily life. Read Also: Understanding Autism Types, Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments Examples Of Learning Disabilities Frustration, Anger, and Grief: Huge numbers of people manifest these emotions through feelings of deep rage and of being wronged. Emma, a woman, told about her wrath, which was caused by being a “victim” of her situation and her irritation with being “unfairly handicapped” by society. This is most commonly associated with the theme of losing something, grieving the ‘normal life’ that they think has been taken away from them, a life in which even the smallest things would not be considered huge battles. Shame and the Need to Hide: Being judged is always a frightening feeling. People tell about themselves doing a lot of things to conceal their problems, for example, wrapping their books so nobody can see that they read very slowly or not going into any place that could have exposed their difficulties. Some individuals even create a character, selecting the “class clown” or the “bad kid,” as it seems to be a