Monday, March 25, 2024

Is Autism A Learning Disability

Don't Miss

Learning Disability Statistics: Autism

The NHS Long Term Plan for learning disability and autism

Approximately 1% of the population has an autism spectrum condition

  • The prevalence rate of autistic spectrum conditions is higher in men than women .
  • 60-70% of people who have an autistic spectrum condition will also have a learning disability.
  • The prevalence of autism increases with greater severity of learning disability or lower verbal IQ.
  • 4.5% of single men have an autism spectrum condition
  • Autism spectrum conditions are associated with educational qualication. The rate is lowest among those with a degree level qualication and highest among those with no qualications .
  • The likelihood of a positive assessment for an autism spectrum condition varies with tenure and the level of deprivation in the local area. Those living in accommodation rented from a social landlord were the most likely to have an autism spectrum condition.

Is Autism A Learning Disability Why Or Why Not

For some children, autism and learning disabilities share overlapping symptoms. Despite this, autism is not a learning disability. Traditionally, the fact that the two disordersboth neurodevelopmentalhave similarities has confused even doctors and educators. As we study, research, and observe, our understanding of both autism and learning disabilities increases. Is autism a learning disability? It isnt. The two conditions are separate disorders. A child can have both, though, or they can have just one. Lets explore autism and learning disabilities to learn how they affect kids.

The Difference Between Autism And Learning Disabilities

In autism, individuals have different symptoms such as difficulties in communication, problems in perception, impairment in learning, speech difficulties, inability to understand emotions, unresponsiveness to events, problems in physical development, disabilities in act of writing, reading writing differences etc.

Autism, which is a neurodevelopmental disorder, is a disorder whose symptoms can be relieved with the right treatment and training methods. Also, individuals with learning disabilities can express themselves better and can communicate with their surroundings in a healthier manner by using signs and symptoms.

Don’t Miss: Prognosis Mild Autism

Learning Disabilities In Motor Skills

Motor difficulty refers to problems with movement and coordination whether it is with fine motor skills or gross motor skills . A motor disability is sometimes referred to as an output activity meaning that it relates to the output of information from the brain. In order to run, jump, write or cut something, the brain must be able to communicate with the necessary limbs to complete the action.

Signs that your child might have a motor coordination disability include problems with physical abilities that require hand-eye coordination, like holding a pencil or buttoning a shirt.

Putting It Into Practice Mental Health Social Care And Education Services Working Together

Autism isometric poster with behavior difficulties ...

In London, The Ealing Intensive Therapeutic and Short Breaks Service has been supporting children, young people and their families so that they dont need to go into hospital.

To make this work health, mental health, social care and education services are all in one building where they work together to do what is needed so that children and young people with a learning disability can stay living at home when they need extra support or treatment.

View our other learning disabilities and autism case studies, which show how we are making health and care services better for people with a learning disability, autism or both.

You May Like: Printable Visual Schedules For Students With Autism

Living With Adult Autism Tip : Improve Communication And Relationships

If other people have a hard time reading and understanding youand you themyoull likely have difficulty with relationships. But you can still find ways to nurture a healthy social life.

Consider disclosing your diagnosis. Talking about your diagnosis can be difficult and the social stigma attached to ASD may make you shy away from doing so. While disclosure is entirely up to you and your comfort level, it may help improve some relationships. Letting close friends and family know about your diagnosis can help them understand why you have a hard time interpreting their sarcastic comments, for example, or why youre distressed by sounds that seem normal to everyone else.

Note when youre experiencing sensory overload. Perhaps you find it difficult to keep up with everything thats going on in an intense group conversation. Or maybe something as simple as loud traffic or a barking dog is bothering you. Do what you can to minimize distractions. This might involve switching rooms or leaving a larger group for a one-on-one chat.

Look for common ground with the person youre talking to. Establishing commonalities can lead to more relaxed and enjoyable conversations. If you have similar hobbies, thats, of course, great news. Otherwise, you can look for other things you both like or dislike. This could be anything from a shared interest in cars to a shared dislike for loud noises.

Support groups for adults with autism

What Are Learning Disabilities

Learning disabilities or learning disorders are umbrella terms for a wide variety of learning problems. A learning disability is not a problem with intelligence or motivation and kids with learning disabilities arent lazy or dumb. In fact, most are just as smart as everyone else. Their brains are simply wired differentlyand this difference affects how they receive and process information.

Simply put, children and adults with learning disabilities see, hear, and understand things differently. This can lead to trouble with learning new information and skills, and putting them to use. The most common types of learning disabilities involve problems with reading, writing, math, reasoning, listening, and speaking.

While every kid has trouble with homework from time to time, if a certain area of learning is consistently problematic, it might indicate a learning disorder.

Recommended Reading: Does The Good Doctor Have Autism

Learning Disabilities In Language

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 or communicate something.

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

How To Differentiate Autism From A Learning Disability

The long term plan for learning disabilities and autism

People sometimes confuse learning disability with autism and while the two may appear to overlap, they are actually dissimilar in many ways. Talking to the experts in the field, we have put together their views and here is all you need to know for better understanding the differences

  • Defining Autism and Learning Disability
  • The most substantial difference between autism and a learning disability comes from the very definition of autism spectrum disorder and a learning disability. Autism is classified as a combination of social communication deficits and restricted interests and routines. However, a learning disability is defined as a substantial difficulty in any number of academic areas. An autistic child may be great at academic skills, but struggle to engage with peers. A child with a learning disability may not be able to do math easily or read fluently, but they may have many friends.

  • Area of Impairments
  • According to the DSM-5 , a learning disability is a persistent difficulty during the school years with reading, writing, math, or other areas of schooling. A person with a learning disability performs well below average in some or all academic areas.

    Autism is a broad spectrum that encompasses individuals that have mild symptoms all the way to those who have severe symptoms. Their impairments include difficulty with social communication, language, and behavioral and emotional challenges.

  • Social Deficits and Maladaptive Behaviors
  • Sensory Processing
  • Learning Disability
  • Also Check: Free Printable Visuals For Autism

    Living With A Diagnosis

    Feel caught off guard by your adult autism diagnosis? It may help to look at your diagnosis as a path to better understanding yourself. You can gain insight on challenging moments from your childhood or teen years, for example, or any relationship problems youve experienced as an adult.

    Every adult with ASD has both unique challenges to overcome and unique strengths to draw upon. However, there are some common challenges to address, including difficulty building or maintaining relationships, social isolation, managing mood disorders, and staying organized.

    Even if you havent received a formal diagnosis, if you suspect you have ASD, you can begin to take steps to improve your life. The following tips and strategies can help.

    Autism Is Not An Illness

    Being autistic does not mean you have an illness or disease. It means your brain works in a different way from other people.

    It’s something you’re born with or first appears when you’re very young.

    If you’re autistic, you’re autistic your whole life.

    Autism is not a medical condition with treatments or a “cure”. But some people need support to help them with certain things.

    Recommended Reading: Autism Variations

    Learning Disabilities In Reading

    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.

    Signs of reading difficulty include problems with:

    • Letter and word recognition.
    • General vocabulary skills.

    My Traffic Light Hospital Passport

    Free Vector

    Here is a link to the Traffic Light Hospital Passport document. You can complete it and bring a copy with you into hospital to give to the doctors and nurses looking after you. It gives them important information about you, including any reasonable adjustments you need, and helps them make sure that all your needs are met.

    Tell us about your hospital stay it will help us make our services better. You can do this by speaking to the Learning Disability Liaison nurse or by filling in one of the forms below and sending it to us.

    You May Like: Asd Level 3

    Treatment For Asd And Learning Disorders

    Treatment for the intersection of autism and learning disorders needs to begin with the proper diagnosis and understanding of a childs difficulties. It is important to consult a medical professional, such as a developmental-behavioral pediatrician, who can differentiate between conditions, understand how they interact, and identify areas of focus for intervention. Most experts agree that early intervention is best for the treatment of both autism spectrum disorder and learning disorders.

    Treatment modalities depend on the conditions and unique challenges a child faces but may include various forms of therapy, such as Applied Behavior Analysis. Multiple treatment interventions may be used in conjunction with one another to address specific needs. These can include learning aids and accommodations that take into account individual circumstances. Coordination with medical professionals, therapists, educational providers, and other caregivers is the best way to ensure your child receives the help they need to learn, grow, and overcome any developmental challenges they face as a result of their condition.

    Signs And Symptoms Of Learning Disabilities: Preschool Age

    • Problems pronouncing words.
    • Trouble finding the right word.
    • Difficulty rhyming.
    • Trouble learning the alphabet, numbers, colors, shapes, or days of the week.
    • Difficulty following directions or learning routines.
    • Difficulty controlling crayons, pencils, and scissors, or coloring within the lines.
    • Trouble with buttons, zippers, snaps, or learning to tie shoes.

    Read Also: Toys For 3 Year Old With Autism

    Some People Use Other Names For Autism

    There are other names for autism used by some people, such as:

    • autism spectrum disorder the medical name for autism
    • autism spectrum condition used instead of ASD by some people
    • Asperger’s used by some people to describe autistic people with average or above average intelligence

    Unlike some people with autism, people with Asperger’s do not have a learning disability.

    Some people call this “high-functioning” autism.

    Doctors do not diagnose people with Asperger’s anymore.

    But if you were diagnosed with it before, this will stay as your diagnosis.

    Social Security Disability Income

    Learning Disability and Autism Advisory Group housing advice

    Social security for adults with autism includes both the SSI and SSDI programs. Social security disability benefits for autism may carry over from childhood to adulthood for people who were receiving social security disability for autism on their parents social security record.

    The SSDI program is for adults who are disabled from working. It is usually based on the recipients income before they became disabled. If the disability began before age 22, however, it can be based on the recipients parental income.

    Once a child reaches age 18, the blue book adult criteria for disability determination takes effect, and these differ from the childhood criteria.

    Recommended Reading: What Disability Does The Good Doctor Have

    The Diagnosis And Testing Process For Learning Disabilities

    Diagnosing a learning disability is a process. It involves testing, history taking, and observation by a trained specialist. Finding a reputable referral is important. Start with your childs school, and if they are unable to help you, ask your doctor or friends and family who have dealt successfully with learning disabilities.

    Types of specialists who may be able to test for and diagnose learning disabilities include:

  • Clinical psychologists
  • Occupational therapist
  • Speech and language therapist
  • Sometimes several professionals coordinate services as a team to obtain an accurate diagnosis. They may also ask for input from your childs teachers.

    Integration, sequencing, and abstraction: Technical terms for how the brain works

    A professional learning disorders specialist might refer to the importance of integration to learning. Integration refers to the understanding of information that has been delivered to the brain, and it includes three steps:

  • Sequencing, which means putting information in the right order.
  • Abstraction, which is making sense of the information.
  • Organization, which refers to the brains ability to use the information to form complete thoughts.
  • Causes And Risk Factors

    We do not know all of the causes of ASD. However, we have learned that there are likely many causes for multiple types of ASD. There may be many different factors that make a child more likely to have an ASD, including environmental, biologic and genetic factors.

    • Most scientists agree that genes are one of the risk factors that can make a person more likely to develop ASD.4, 19
    • Children who have a sibling with ASD are at a higher risk of also having ASD. 5-10
    • Individuals with certain genetic or chromosomal conditions, such as fragile X syndrome or tuberous sclerosis, can have a greater chance of having ASD. 11-14, 20
    • When taken during pregnancy, the prescription drugs valproic acid and thalidomide have been linked with a higher risk of ASD.15-16
    • There is some evidence that the critical period for developing ASD occurs before, during, and immediately after birth. 17
    • Children born to older parents are at greater risk for having ASD. 18

    ASD continues to be an important public health concern. Like the many families living with ASD, CDC wants to find out what causes the disorder. Understanding the factors that make a person more likely to develop ASD will help us learn more about the causes. We are currently working on one of the largest U.S. studies to date, called Study to Explore Early Development . SEED is looking at many possible risk factors for ASD, including genetic, environmental, pregnancy, and behavioral factors.

    Don’t Miss: Is The Actor On The Good Doctor Autistic

    When Do You Notice The Signs Of Autism

    While you might notice some of the signs of autism in the first few years of your child’s life, it may only be when they are at school, or even when they are an adult, that a diagnosis is made.

    Sometimes an autism diagnosis is delayed because health professionals want to be certain before they make a diagnosis. In other cases, a delayed diagnosis might be because the signs of autism go undetected, especially if they present in a more subtle way .

    More boys than girls are diagnosed with autism, and there is an ongoing debate about whether this is for genetic reasons or because the process of diagnosis tends to pick up autistic traits more common in boys, and the possibility that this is leaving some girls undiagnosed.

    Hope For Learning Disabilities: The Brain Can Change

    Learning Disability &  Autism Care Planning Software â Aspirico

    Science has made great strides in understanding the inner workings of the brain, and one important discovery that brings new hope for learning disabilities and disorders is called neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity refers to the brains natural, lifelong ability to change.

    Throughout life, the brain is able to form new connections and generate new brain cells in response to experience and learning. This knowledge has led to groundbreaking new treatments for learning disabilities that take advantage of the brains ability to change. Innovative programs, such as the Arrowsmith program, use strategic brain exercises to identify and strengthen weak cognitive areas. For example, for children who have difficulty distinguishing between different sounds in a word, there are new computer-based learning programs that slow down the sounds so that children can understand them and gradually increase their speed of comprehension.

    These discoveries about neuroplasticity provide hope to all students with learning disorders, and further research may lead to additional new treatments that target the actual causes of learning disabilities, rather than simply offering coping strategies to compensate for weaknesses.

    How does understanding the brain help a learning disorder?

    Recommended Reading: How To Discipline Autistic Children Effectively

    The Difference Between Learning Disability And Autism

    Nicola Martin explains the difference between Autism Spectrum Disorders and Learning Disabilities.

    Assessing Autism and Learning Disabilities

    For a long time, Autism and Learning Disabilities have been grouped together however, are they the same thing or different from each other?

    Autism and Learning Disabilities can occur together but are completely different from one another. You can also have one without the other which makes them exclusive.

    The two of them do have similarities to each other:

    • Lifelong conditions
    • Difficulties for both are present from childhood
    • Neither has a cure
    • Significant impact on a persons life
    • Impacts the way they see the world and others, as well as how they interpret them.

    Whats The Difference?

    Autism Spectrum Disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects how people process certain types of information. It can affect learning although it is not a Learning Disability. It can affect language skills, both when listening and speaking.

    A Learning Disability is a neurological condition that affects how someone learns. This most often occurs in reading, writing, maths and problem solving. A Learning Disability causes people to struggle when making connections between different pieces of incoming information as well as when working to understand and organise the information.

    The Importance of Seeing The Individual

    More articles

    Popular Articles