What causes learning disabilities?
Little is currently known about the causes of learning disabilities. However, some general observations can be made: • Some children develop and mature at a slower rate than others in the same age group. As a result, they may not be able to do the expected school work. This kind of learning disability is called “maturational lag.” • Some children with normal vision and hearing may misinterpret everyday sights and sounds because of some unexplained disorder of the nervous system. • Injuries before birth or in early childhood probably account for some later learning problems. • Children born prematurely and children who had medical problems soon after birth sometimes have learning disabilities. • Learning disabilities tend to run in families, so some learning disabilities may be inherited. • Learning disabilities are more common in boys than girls, possibly because boys tend to mature more slowly. • Some learning disabilities appear to be linked to the irregular spelling, pronunciation,
