Is ADHD Considered A Learning Disability?

“Is ADHD considered a learning disability?, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a learning difficulty caused due to neurobehavioral disorder and also it is a psychiatric disorder in children? So the difference between Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)  and learning disability is that in learning disability it is difficult to acquire specific skills such as reading skills or math skills. On the other hand ADHD impacts more global skills and executive functions like the capability to focus. Power to control emotions, and ability to control impulsive behavior.”

What is ADHD

Is ADHD considered a learning disability?ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that runs in families and crushes a person’s thinking, feelings, and behavior. The prefrontal cortex of the brain does not perform properly according to the age of the individual child in comparison to similar age child.  For example, children suffering from ADHD may be impulsive, easily distracted, have difficulty in focusing, and have less emotional control compared to children of a similar age. So ADHD is a developmental disorder of executive functioning of the brain.  

Is  ADHD considered a learning disability, what is the presentation of ADHD?

There are three main presentations of ADHD

• Inattentive (ADHD-I): Children suffering from ADHD seem uninterested or like she or he is not listening in their classroom.  The child feels difficulty staying focused on certain tasks, seems forgetful may remain unorganized.

• Hyperactive-impulsive tendency (ADHD-H/I): children are often fidgety, on the go, and hard to nail down. Children suffering from ADHD find it difficult to stay seated at a place or focused on specific work as asked to do so.  A child suffering from ADHD HI can be very talkative and also disturb others even after being asked to be patient.

• Combined I(ADHD-C): This type of ADHD child possesses above both the characteristics.

Children suffering from ADHD  are capable to complete simple and complex tasks but the ability to remain focused on the work can vary.  For example one day a child may complete his or her homework efficiently without any struggle but not on the next day. Simply you can say that children suffering from ADHD can be consistently inconsistent.

Is ADHD considered a learning disability ?-Symptoms Of ADHD

ADHD symptoms can change as well as a child grows. The effects of ADHD on a person depend on the severity of the disease. Medication, surrounding environment, strong coping strategies, and will to do some work, the force of ADHD reduced.

Is  ADHD considered a learning disability?- what is learning disability?

Is ADHD considered a learning disability? A learning disability or LD  is a neurodevelopmental disorder related to the brain that affects people with average or higher intelligence. The learning disability should not be mistaken for an intellectual disability.  Young people suffering from LD are equally smart as their colleagues but they process their information differently.

It means that the message does not reach its destination in the brain in a proper manner for quick neural processing. 80% of the LD  are associated with reading. Learning disability also makes it difficult to spell, read, write and do calculations. LD also affects the ability to organize or recall information, also affects short-term and long-term memory. Research shows that genetic and environmental factors alter brain development.

These factors alter how the brain is agitated to process information. The causes of learning disabilities are still unknown.  They are not due to ineffective teaching, economic situation, poor parenting, or sensory deficit. The impact of a learning disability varies from person to person. It may impact mild to severe.

In order to diagnose a learning disability, a psychologist must rule out other possible reasons that a child will struggle at home or classroom. These reasons may be due to ADHD, mental health concerns, or due to intellectual disability. Learning disabilities remain life long but a child can learn strategies that will improve their ability to manage their learning disability.

Has ADHD considered a learning disability?

ADHD and LDs are not the same. The difference between both is that learning disability makes it difficult to achieve skills of reading and skill of math.  On the other hand ADHD crash more global skill and executive functions such as the ability to focus, ability to control emotions, and ability to control impulsive behavior.

Learning requires the use of executive functions such as the ability to focus, pay attention, be busy with tasks,  and use working recollection. It can look like ADHD even though the child is suffering from a learning disability. 

Though learning disability affects one or more specific cognitive processes including executive functions. A Child suffering from a learning disability may have the knowledge to do some math assignment but can not use the method required to get the answer without extensive effort.

Executive functions are a common factor in both ADHD  and LDs and it is common for a young person to have ADHD and LD. Experts estimated that approximately 1/3  of young people diagnosed with ADHD  also suffers from learning disability.  This is called co-morbidity, which is due to the presence of two or more disorders in a person.  For any child suffering from ADHD LD or both,  it is difficult for him to manage their executive functions especially the ability to focus, pay attention, and use working memory.

It is also pertinent to mention here that school uses many strategies to help children suffering from ADHD, LD, or both learn more effectively. 

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