Causes of Learning Difficulties

Learning difficulties or learning disability is often part of the presentation of a larger disorder, disease or injury. The role of genetics is becoming more transparent and when children are showing signs of learning difficulties or a delay in development they are often given a diagnostic genetic test. Other children with learning difficulties or special needs may have a more obvious cause such as an injury to the brain. Some children never have a formal diagnosis, but always struggle with learning and/or communication.

Common causes of special needs

Learning difficulties and special needs occur for a variety of reasons:

• Autism – children on the autistic spectrum can display a range of communication difficulties with some children having mild difficulties, while others have profound. Some of these communication difficulties are quite unique to the disorder of autism and are often described under the “triad of impairments” - communication, imagination and social interaction. icommunicate’s Autism Section is totally devoted to autistic spectrum disorders with information and strategies to facilitate communication and behaviour

• Cerebral Palsy and Brain Injury – children who experience an injury to the brain, during pregnancy, birth or in childhood can have long lasting difficulties with cognitive function, communication and motor skills. Following damage, the brain will continue to grow and develop during childhood, and different parts of the brain may compensate for the damaged areas, but as this process takes place, these children may be left behind academically by their peers. Damage to the brain in the early years of life means that children are having to cope with a brain injury at a time when they are learning some key foundation skills. This means that some of them will have difficulties and delays throughout childhood. icommunicate plans to offers a range of information, strategies and resources for children with cerebral palsy and brain injury

• Developmental Dyspraxia – dyspraxia can often cause speech difficulties, but can be far more severe affecting gross and fine motor movement, planning and cognitive functioning. Visit our section on Dyspraxia for more information.

• Syndromes – with the advent of medical advances there has been a greater emphasis on the diagnosis and treatment of genetic disorders or syndromes. Genetic tests can often give a diagnosis to a mystery disorder. When we have a diagnosis we have an idea of what symptoms may present over time and we can plan accordingly. There are thousands of different syndromes and many have associated with communication difficulties. icommunicate intends to build up a database of syndromes and associated communication difficulties, as well as, offering information, strategies and programmes to facilitate communication.

If you have any concerns regarding your child's communication visit your local Speech and Language Therapist / Pathologist for specialist assessment.

To find out more about the range of communication options that you can use to facilitate communication for individuals with special needs see the Total Communication Folder of our Downloads Centre.