LEARNING DISABILITIES AND MENTAL RETARDATION

1. LEARNING DISABILITIES – FEATURES AND CAUSES
MENTAL RETARDATION – FEATURES AND CAUSES

2. What is a Learning Disability?
 A learning disability is a neurological
disorder.

3.  In simple terms, a learning disability results
from a difference in the way a person's brain
is "wired.“
 Children with learning disabilities are as smart
or smarter than their peers. But they may
have difficulty reading, writing, spelling,
reasoning, recalling and/or organizing
information if left to figure things out by
themselves or if taught in conventional ways.

4.  A learning disability can't be cured or fixed;
it is a lifelong issue. With the right support
and intervention, however, children with
learning disabilities can succeed in school
and go on to successful, often
distinguished careers later in life.

5.  Parents can help children with learning
disabilities achieve such success by
encouraging their strengths, knowing their
weaknesses, understanding the educational
system, working with professionals and
learning about strategies for dealing with
specific difficulties.

6. Specific Learning
Disabilities
 Auditory Processing Disorder :-
 Also known as Central Auditory Processing
Disorder, individuals with Auditory Processing
Disorder (APD) do not recognize subtle
differences between sounds in words, even
when the sounds are loud and clear enough to
be heard.

7.  They can also find it difficult to tell where
sounds are coming from, to make sense of
the order of sounds, or to block out
competing background noises.
 Problems with reading, comprehension,
language
 Signs and Symptoms :-
 May process thoughts and ideas slowly and
have difficulty explaining them

8.  Has difficulty processing and remembering
language-related tasks but may have no
trouble interpreting or recalling non-verbal
environmental sounds, music, etc.
 Misspells and mispronounces similar-
sounding words or omits syllables; confuses
similar-sounding words (celery/salary;
belt/built; three/free; jab/job; bash/batch)

9.  Often is distracted by background
sounds/noises
 Finds it difficult to stay focused on or
remember a verbal presentation or lecture
 Has difficulty comprehending complex
sentence structure or rapid speech
 Says “What?” a lot, even when has heard
much of what was said

10.  Learning disabilities in math (dyscalculia):-
 Individuals with this type of Learning Disability
may also have poor comprehension of math
symbols, may struggle with memorizing and
organizing numbers, have difficulty telling time, or
have trouble with counting

11.  Signs and Symptoms:-
 Shows difficulty understanding concepts of
place value, and quantity, number lines,
positive and negative value, carrying and
borrowing
 Shows difficulty understanding fractions
 Is challenged making change and handling
money

12.  Displays difficulty recognizing patterns
when adding, subtracting, multiplying, or
dividing
 Has difficulty understanding concepts
related to time such as days, weeks,
months, seasons, quarters, etc.

13.  Learning disabilities in writing
(dysgraphia);-
 A person with this specific learning disability
may have problems including illegible
handwriting, inconsistent spacing, poor
spatial planning on paper, poor spelling, and
difficulty composing writing as well as
thinking and writing at the same time.

14.  Signs and Symptoms:-
 Shows inconsistencies: mixtures of print and
cursive, upper and lower case, or irregular sizes,
shapes or slant of letters
 Has unfinished words or letters, omitted words
 Inconsistent spacing between words and letters
 Has difficulty pre-visualizing letter formation
 Shows poor spatial planning on paper

15.  Learning disabilities in reading
(dyslexia):-
 There are two types of learning disabilities in
reading. Basic reading problems occur when
there is difficulty understanding the
relationship between sounds, letters and
words. Reading comprehension problems
occur when there is an inability to grasp the
meaning of words, phrases, and paragraphs.

16.  Signs and Symptoms:-
 Reads slowly and painfully
 Experiences decoding errors, especially with the
order of letters
 Shows wide disparity between listening
comprehension and reading comprehension of
some text
 Problems with reading speed and fluency

17.  Learning disabilities in language
(aphasia/dysphasia):-
 Language and communication learning
disabilities involve the ability to understand or
produce spoken language.
 Language is also considered an output activity
because it requires organizing thoughts in the
brain and calling upon the right words to verbally
explain something or communicate with
someone else

18.  Signs of a language-based learning
disorder involve problems with verbal
language skills, such as the ability to
retell a story and the fluency of speech,
as well as the ability to understand the
meaning of words, parts of speech,
directions, etc.

19.  Dyspraxia:-
 Problems with movement and coordination,
language and speech.
 A disorder that is characterized by difficulty in
muscle control, which causes problems with
movement and coordination, language and
speech, and can affect learning. Although not
a learning disability, Dyspraxia often exists
along with Dyslexia, Dyscalculia or ADHD.

20.  Signs and Symptoms:-
 Exhibits poor balance; may appear
clumsy; may frequently stumble
 Shows difficulty with motor planning
 Demonstrates inability to coordinate both
sides of the body
 Has poor hand-eye coordination

21. MENTAL RETARDATION
 Intellectual disability (ID), once called mental
retardation, is characterized by below-average
intelligence or mental ability and a lack of skills
necessary for day-to-day living. People with
intellectual disabilities can and do learn new
skills, but they learn them more slowly.

22.  Someone with intellectual disability has
limitations in two areas. These areas are:
 Intellectual functioning. Also known as IQ,
this refers to a person’s ability to learn,
reason, make decisions, and solve problems.
 Adaptive behaviors. These are skills
necessary for day-to-day life, such as being
able to communicate effectively, interact with
others, and take care of oneself.

23. What causes intellectual
disability?
 Anytime something interferes with
normal brain development, intellectual
disability can result.
 The most common causes of intellectual
disability are:

24.  Genetic conditions. These include things
like Down syndrome and fragile X syndrome.
 Problems during pregnancy.Things that
can interfere with fetal brain development
include alcohol or drug use, malnutrition,
certain infections, or preeclampsia.

25.  Problems during childbirth. Intellectual
disability may result if a baby is deprived of
oxygen during childbirth or born extremely
premature.
 Illness or injury. Infections
like meningitis, whooping cough, or
the measles can lead to intellectual disability.
Severe head injury, near-drowning, extreme
malnutrition, infections in the brain, exposure to
toxic substances such as lead, and severe
neglect or abuse can also cause it.

26.  None of the above. In two-thirds of all
children who have intellectual disability,
the cause is unknown.

27. SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
 The level of impairment ranges in severity for each
person. Some of the early signs can include:[10
 Delays in reaching or failure to achieve milestones in
motor skills development (sitting, crawling, walking)
 Slowness learning to talk or continued difficulties with
speech and language skills after starting to talk

28.  Difficulty with self-help and self-care skills
(e.g., getting dressed, washing, and feeding
themselves)
 Poor planning or problem solving abilities
 Behavioral and social problems
 Failure to grow intellectually or continued
infant-like behavior
 Problems keeping up in school
 Failure to adapt or adjust to new situations
 Difficulty understanding and following social
rules

29. DEGREES OF SEVERITY OF
MENTAL RETARDATION
 Four degrees of severity can be specified ,
reflecting the level of intellectual impairment: Mild,
Moderate, Severe, and Profound.
 Mild Mental Retardation: IQ level 50-55 to
approximately 70

30.  Moderate Retardation: IQ level 35-40 to 50-
55
 Severe Mental Retardation: IQ level 20--25
to 35-40
 Profound Mental Retardation: IQ level
below 20 or 25

31. MILD MENTAL
RETARDATION
 This group constitutes the largest segment
(about 85%) of those with the disorder.
 As a group, people with this level of Mental
Retardation typically develop social and
communication skills during the preschool
years (ages 0-5 years)

32.  Have minimal impairment in sensorimotor
areas, and often are not distinguishable from
children without Mental Retardation until a
later age.
 By their late teens, they can acquire
academic skills up to approximately the sixth-
grade level.

33.  During their adult years, they usually achieve
social and vocational skills adequate for
minimum self-support, but may need
supervision, guidance, and assistance,
especially when under unusual social or
economic stress.
 With appropriate supports, individuals with Mild
Mental Retardation can usually live successfully
in the community, either independently or in
supervised settings.

34. MODERATE
MENTALRETARDATION
 This group constitutes about 10% of the entire
population of people with Mental Retardation.
 Most of the individuals with this level of Menial
Retardation acquire communication skills
during early childhood years.

35.  They profit from vocational training and, with
moderate supervision, can attend to their
personal care.
 They can also benefit from training in social
and occupational skills but are unlikely to
progress beyond the second-grade level in
academic subjects.
 They may learn to travel independently in
familiar places

36.  During adolescence, their difficulties in
recognizing social conventions may interfere with
peer relationships.
 In their adult years, the majority are able to
perform unskilled or semiskilled work under
supervision in sheltered workshops or in the
general workforce.
 They adapt well to life in the community, usually
in supervised settings.

37. SEVERE MENTAL
RETARDATION
 The group with Profound Mental Retardation
constitutes approximately 1%-2% of people
with Mental Retardation.
 Most individuals with this diagnosis have an
identified neurological condition that accounts
for their Mental Retardation.

38.  During the early childhood years, they
display considerable impairments in
sensorimotor functioning.
 Optimal development may occur in a highly
structured environment with constant aid and
supervision and an individualized
relationship with a caregiver.

39.  Motor development and self-care and
communication skills may improve if
appropriate training is provided.
 Some can perform simple tasks in closely
supervised and sheltered settings.

40. MANAGEMENT OF MENTAL
RETARDATION
 Family therapy
 can help relatives of the mentally retarded
develop coping skills. It can also help parents
deal with feelings of guilt or anger. A supportive,
warm home environment is essential to help the
mentally retarded reach their full potential.

41.  Psychotherapy
 Psychotherapy deals successfully with the
emotional problems and problems of
maladjustment, as well as psychological
symptoms.
 It is a well established fact that mentally
subnormal people demonstrate a number of
psychological problems and complexes which
can be reduced by psychotherapy alone.

42.  They face greater amount of stress in their day to
day life in comparison to other normal people.
Thus, they show symptoms of anxiety, irritation,
anguish and finally aggression and violence.
 They show depression and anxiety which
aggravates their already retarded mental
condition. Sometimes, the psychological
problems become so acute that education,
special training or institutionalization has no

43.  Under these circumstances, psychotherapy
becomes a very effective method of treatment.
 Usually, individual psychotherapy, group
psychotherapy, behaviour modification and
observational learning are included under
psychotherapy.

44.  Individual Psychotherapy
 It includes one to one relationship between a
trained psychiatrist in the area of mental
retardation and the retarded person.
 It may be verbal or non-verbal depending
upon the subnormal person’s age, capacity for
reception and degree of retardation.

45.  Nonverbal individual therapy includes play
therapy
 Besides play therapy, occupational therapy,
music therapy and art therapy may be
included.
 Verbal psychotherapy is applicable to those
retarded persons who are capable to
communicate in words with the therapists.

46.  They usually are mildly retarded adults.
 For the success of individual psychotherapy
the rapport and the relationship between the
therapist and the client is the most paramount
factor.

47.  Group Therapy
 group therapy provides individual members
with models and examples for better
adjustment.
 It also re creates a sense of safety, we feeling
and togetherness which can be of great help
psychologically speaking to the retarded
person who is in-secured, frightened and
depressed.

48.  Behaviour Modification
 During the recent years behaviour
modification has proved to be a very effective
technique in treating the mentally retarded
persons.
 It involves, to be more precise, the principles
of reinforcement and punishment for
modification of behaviour.

49.  By applying suitable reinforcements the behaviour
modifier can change the behaviour of the mentally
retarded person in the desirable direction.
 (a) Aversive conditioning where punishments are
given whenever the behaviour becomes
undesirable;
 (b) Token economies where points earned for good
behaviour are rewarded through money, candy or
story books etc.

50.  According to the reports of Gardner (1970)
many professionals believe that behavioural
methods have been the most effective form of
treatment for the problem of the mentally
retarded person.

51.  Observational Learning
 By this technique new models or examples are
presented to the retarded persons and the retarded
persons are to change themselves according to these
models.
 Researches on imitation learning by Bandura (1969)
show that it has been possible to teach moderately
and severely retarded subjects the basic skills of
using the telephone through observational learning
communicating simple ideas to peers.

52.  Studies as well as observation show that
with attractive models and clear
instructions almost all retarded children
can learn through imitation.