LEARNING DISABILITIES

Learning Disabilities



Learning Disabilities

Introduction

As for learning disability (LD), 6.5% of children in the US are diagnosed with it. It is accompanied by a high rate of absenteeism from school and low academic achievement .Seventy-five percent of them will have social skill difficulties Their quality of life (QOL) is problematic. Their interfamilial relationship will suffer as well. Dagan et al. proclaim that sleep patterns of ADHD children have different architecture, which can explain their tiredness and low energy during the day.

Aims of the study

The aims of the study was to identify whether the effect of having learning disabilities associated with poorer mental health outcomes as is the effect of having both LD and ADD/ADHDperception.(Goldman,2000)

Methods

Three hundred and eight pupils studying in middle and high schools involved with special education were interviewed and examined. All pupils who learn in that school suffer from ADHD/LD, but their intelligence is normal. Their educational and medical files were checked, including learning difficulties and psychological reports compiled by specialists outside of school. Pupils were asked to complete individual questionnaires with 73 items during the meeting with a school physician. The original number of items in questionnaire composed by the authors was reduced from 109 to 73 after “judge validity” by pediatricians, psychologists, social workers, teachers and educational advisors. The statistical analysis was done by the Epidemiological Unit of the hospital.(Landgraf,2002)

Results

Table 1 shows the demographic and social activities, in which the ADHD pupils were involved. Approximately, a quarter of adolescents were tied to addiction (cigarettes, alcohol or drugs).

Table 1.

Study participant data of all pupils (n = 308)

Age (years)

15.4 ± 1.7

Sex ratio (boys:girls) (%)

56.8:43.2

Living conditions (private bedroom) (%)

62.7

Practicing sports activities (after school) (%)

58.1

Keeping domestic pets (%)

49.5

Daily TV viewing (h)

3.2 ± 1.0

Intermittent or regular smoking (but not heavy) (%)

27.1

Drinking alcoholic beverages (not severe alcoholics) (%)

22.4

Offered drugs (by peers) and/or consumed them experimentally (%)

21.4

Table 2 shows the subgroups of ADHD and their comorbidities.

Table 2.

Subgroups of ADHD and their comorbidities (n = 308)

Diagnosis of ADHD (%)

76.4

Subgroups (%)

 ADHD - inattentive (I)

22.1

 ADHD - hyperactivity/impulsivity (H-I)

12.3

 ADHD - combined

42.2

Episodes of emotional outbreaks and loss of self-control (%)

54.2

Treated by Ritalin (present or past) (%)

25

Comorbidity (%)

 LD

94.2

 Depression

58.8

 Anxiety

48

 Fatigue

37

More than half of adolescents loose self-control and had outbursts even after minimal stressors.

Table 3 summarizes the data concerning school and learning disabilities. LD is a frequent finding (94%) among ADHD adolescents.

Table 3.

Learning disabilities (LD) and school data of all pupils (n = 308)

Prevalence of LD among all pupils (%)

94.2

Subgroup areas of learning difficulties (%)

 Reading (dyslexia)

51.3

 Reading comprehension

51.6

 Writing (dysgraphia)

55.8

 Mathematics (dyscalculia)

63

 Foreign languages

71.8

 Needs more time for completion of examinations

48.4

 Feeling stressed in class

34.1

 Complaining that teachers don't understand them

51.6

 Parents criticize him/her for not investing more effort in learning

60.1

Marks (average)

68.9 ± 13.2

The sociobehavioral perspective as described by the pupils is presented in Table 4.

Table 4.

Sociobehavioral profile as described by AD/LD pupils

Difficulties in postponing needs and satisfaction (%)

68.2

Crying during an outbreak episode (%)

53.9

Excessive fatigue (low energy) (%)

37

Disorganization and loss of objectiveness (%)

36.4

Feeling extreme isolation and having no friends (%)

7.8

Self-image (%)

 Low

16.2

 Average

52.3

 High

29.8

Feeling different from others (peers) (%)

31.8

More than two-third of adolescents emphasize their need to receive everything immediate, ...