Is ADD A Learning Disability?
Author: Sarah K. Jenkins

Attention Deficit Disorder, in itself, is not a learning
disability. The term "learning disability" typically refers to
a perceptual disability, such as an auditory or visual
processing disorder, like autism or dyslexia. A person with
ADD, however, has no problems perceiving or interpreting
information. Therefore, it does not qualify as a learning
disability.

Although it is often jumbled in with the mass of
"disabilities", ADD actually does not hinder the process of
learning. A child with ADD can intake information, process it
accordingly, and preserve it in memory, just like any other
person. The problem comes with getting them to pay attention
long enough to hear the information in the first place!

A child with Attention Deficit Disorder may have difficulties
in school and with learning in general, but it is not due to a
learning disability. Often, when a child is treated for ADD,
their academic performance improves by leaps and bounds. On the
other hand, an individual with ADD may not have any difficulty
in learning at all; this will vary by person.

However, while ADD is not a learning disability, it is often
accompanied by one or many. Some children, particularly at the
preschool age, may have difficulty interpreting sounds or words
and may also have speech issues. Older children may have
problems spelling and reading, writing, and arithmetic
disorders may arise. Likewise, dyslexia, a reading disorder, is
common in children with ADD. However, none of these disabilities
is inherent to Attention Deficit Disorder. While some children
may have them, many will not.

Whereas ADD may cause difficulty in learning, steps may be
taken to help the child perform well in spite of the disorder.
Most ADD children do better with a schedule – the exact same
thing, day in and day out. Because they may have problems with
memory retention and are easily distracted, this helps them
stay on track, because they are acting out of habit.

The same goes for organization; a set way to do things and
places to put things makes it easier to remember and stay on
course. On the same token, teaching the child to utilize
organizational binders and planners also helps them stay
organized and keep up with important assignments.

During class time, it helps if an interactive approach is taken
as opposed to a lecturing style – this keeps the child's
attention better and decreases the likelihood of distractions.


The most important thing is to not make ADD a crutch for the
child; they can grow and be successful, even with this
disorder.


About The Author: Sarah is an acclaimed writer on medical
matters, and has written extensively on the subjects of
Attention Deficit Disorder, Bird Flu and Cohn's Disease. For
more of her articles, go to http://www.imedicalvillage.com now.