Facts About Developmental Disorders & Learning Disabilities

Learn more about developmental disorders, learning disabilities, and effective methods to assist those facing learning challenges.

Introduction To Developmental Disorders

 

When talking about disabilities, whether from health conditions or diseases, many healthcare professionals have to think about two languages crucial to the individual they are assessing. One is person-first language, and the other is identity language. In person-first language, it pertains to how a person places more importance on the individual and their uniqueness. This involves individuals young and old with ADHD or Down syndrome. This is compared to the identity-first language, which often highlights the disorder or disease more than the individual (e.g., autistic child). The goal that many healthcare professionals aim for when treating individuals with disabilities or developmental disorders is to use respectful terminology to reduce social stigma, prejudice, and discrimination.

 

Many young individuals have their cognitive and social skills evaluated when entering and progressing through school. These evaluations sometimes indicate that a young individual or children might need special assistance with either language or learning to interact with others. Evaluation and diagnosis are the first steps in providing many people with the tools and resources needed to function. However, there are also significant social implications regarding diagnosis and labeling. Many healthcare providers must consider that anyone, young or old, can be misdiagnosed. Once the person receives the diagnosis label, the individual and whoever is in the person’s life have to interpret the person’s actions through that label. For instance, if a child has been misdiagnosed as having a learning disability, it can influence the child’s self-concept. It may be due to difficulties in school that cause children to have trouble at their academic level. This self-fulfilling prophecy causes them to act this way, causing people to predict what will happen come true. Healthcare professionals must pay attention to the power of labels and apply them accurately when assessing patients.

 

It is also important to consider that people’s difficulties can change over time. An example would be a child who has problems in school that may improve later or grow up to be an adult where these problems are no longer relevant. That person, however, will still have a label for having a learning disability. Even though it is fairly common for children and young individuals to have abnormal behaviors, healthcare providers should recognize that the distinction between abnormal/atypical and normal/typical behavior is not always clear. When evaluating learning disabilities, misdiagnosis may be more of a concern.
When it comes to the diagnosis of developmental disabilities, it is required that a pediatrician, psychologist, psychiatrist, or other accredited professional should assess a child for a developmental disability, as there are many factors to consider. Many common behaviors in children, like temper tantrums, being overly active, being shy, etc., might be misinterpreted as a behavioral disorder like ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder). Therefore, trained professionals use multiple assessments or questionnaires completed by the parent(s) and teacher(s) in conjunction with in-person observations and case history before diagnosing.

 

Autism Spectrum Disorders

As a common developmental disorder, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can affect various areas of development, such as communication and behavior, in many individuals. The spectrum is wide and varies from person to person. In the United States, it is estimated that about 1 out of every 36 children or individuals has been diagnosed with autism, covering a wide variety of abilities and symptom expression between high and low functioning. ASD is characterized by age-inappropriate, impaired social communication and may have a complex interaction between genetics, epigenetic, and environmental factors associated with cerebral dysfunction. (Mukherjee, 2017) When it comes to social skills and communication, ASD can impact a person’s language skills as it can become difficult. A person within the autism spectrum may respond to a question by repeating the question, may not respond appropriately, or may not communicate in response at all. Some symptoms for an individual within the autism spectrum may be sensitivity to touch, sound, or visual stimulation. Individuals with autism often view the world differently and learn in unique ways while preferring routines and can become upset when routines are altered. For example, moving furniture or changing the daily schedule can be very upsetting.

 

There is no single known cause of autism, though research has indicated a possible genetic link. This could be due to the intricate neurobiological mechanisms that correlate with the immune system and neuroinflammation, causing atypical functional connectivity and neurotransmitter alterations. (Rajabi et al., 2024) Luckily, there are holistic approaches to reducing autism symptoms to help improve a person’s quality of life within the spectrum.

 

Holistic Treatments For Individuals Within The Autism Spectrum

When it comes to holistic treatment approaches for individuals with autism, they can vary for the individual while not affecting their sensory issues. Physical activities and motor skill training can help their mobility and improve movement performance. (Shahane et al., 2024) Additionally, individuals within the autism spectrum could be dealing with abnormal sensitivity and gastrointestinal difficulties that can cause numerous pain-like symptoms in the body. Incorporating and allowing autistic individuals to try out anti-inflammatory foods and prebiotics can help improve the symptoms associated with ASD while reducing the inflammatory effects on their bodies. (Sivamaruthi et al., 2020)

 

What Are Learning Disabilities?

When a person, both young and old, has an intellectual disability or an intellectual development disability, they could have significant impairment in intellectual and adaptive functioning. This, in turn, generally results in an IQ (intelligence quotient) under 70, which is two standards below the median. This causes deficits within two or more adaptive behaviors that affect everyday general living, causing them to learn slowly in all areas of learning. This is known as learning disabilities.

 

A learning disability (LD) is a specific impairment of academic learning that interferes with a particular aspect of schoolwork and significantly reduces a person’s educational performance. It can be shown as a major discrepancy between a person’s ability and some achievement features, causing them to be delayed in various academic areas. Many people often confuse the difference between a learning problem and a learning disability, as a learning problem stems from physical, sensory, or motor handicaps or generalized intellectual impairment.

 

Dyslexia

As one of the most commonly diagnosed learning disabilities, dyslexia involves having difficulty in reading; at its core, many people with dyslexia have difficulty in learning to decode and spell words and being fluent through phonological representation. (Snowling et al., 2020) This is because several structural changes in the brain cause the ability to integrate information across different RSNs (resting state networks) to reduce the brain’s neuroplasticity. (Munzer et al., 2020)  Numerous treatments have reading specialists to help accommodate the individual’s problematic areas.

 

Dysgraphia

Dysgraphia is a writing disability that is often associated with dyslexia. The term is frequently used as an overarching term for all written expression disorders. There are two different types of dysgraphia, including phonological dysgraphia and orthographic dysgraphia. Phonological dysgraphia occurs when someone cannot sound out words and write them phonetically. Orthographic dysgraphia, on the other hand, is demonstrated by those individuals who can spell words that are regularly spelled but not irregularly spelled. Some individuals with dysgraphia could experience difficulties in motor control and trouble forming letters when using a pen or pencil.

 

Dyscalculia

Dyscalculia is a form of math-related disability that involves difficulties with learning math-related concepts (such as quantity, place value, and time), memorizing math-related facts, and understanding how problems are organized on the page. This, in turn, causes many individuals in school to have negative experiences and repeated lack of success in mathematical tasks, generating the fear of failure and diminishing self-esteem. (Haberstroh & Schulte-Korne, 2019) This causes issues in working memory when people are dealing with numbers. This could be due to the parietal lobes being smaller and less active, thus reflecting on atypical patterns of mathematical cognitive function. (Dowker, 2024)

 

---

Optimizing Your Wellness-Video

---

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is considered a neurodevelopmental disorder in which an individual has difficulty with cognitive and motor function. This is due to some structures of the brain being smaller, causing patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsive behaviors that can affect the neurotransmitters in the brain that interfere with normal functioning. (ADHD & The Brain, 2017)  

Some of the signs of inattention can include:

• Difficulty with tasks and avoiding them
• Not following instructions
• Disorganization
• Lack of attention to detail
• Becoming easily distracted
• Forgetfulness.

Hyperactivity in ADHD is characterized by excessive movements, which include:

• Fidgeting
• Having trouble sitting still
• Running and climbing on things when not appropriate
• Blurting out responses
• Difficulty waiting
• Interrupting and intruding on others.

Often, hyperactive individuals, whether children or adults, may appear boisterous. This causes some issues throughout their life, causing academic and social challenges. Compared to their non-ADHD counterparts, individuals with ADHD tend to have low grades, do poorly in standardized testing, have higher rates of expulsion, and have an increased risk of dropping out of school during their academic year.

 

Causes of ADHD

There have been many family and twin studies that indicate that genetics play a significant role in the development of ADHD. Many studies stated that ADHD subtype diagnosis, gender, and exposure to environmental factors could be the potential moderators of the development of ADHD. (Gizer et al., 2009) The specific gene involved in ADHD is thought to include the regulation of the neurotransmitter dopamine. There have been brain imaging studies that show individuals with ADHD have exhibited abnormalities within their frontal lobes, a brain area in which dopamine is in abundance. Since the frontal lobe’s function is to regulate behavior, those with ADHD will have less frontal lobe activation when performing mental tasks. Thus, abnormalities in this region may go a long way toward explaining some of the hyperactive, uncontrolled behavior of ADHD.

 

Some environmental factors like sugar and artificial dyes have been thought of as increasing hyperactivity in individuals. Hence why many people opt to reduce them to ease ADHD symptoms. At the same time, though, there have been numerous studies comparing the exposure to nicotine in cigarette smoke during pregnancy, causing an influence on the development of severe ADHD symptoms in the unborn child. (Linnet et al., 2003)

 

ADHD Treatment

When it comes to finding treatments for ADHD, the most common treatment includes the use of stimulant medication and even non-surgical treatments and lifestyle changes that can help reduce the symptoms associated with ADHD. While many people think that the use of stimulant medication is counterintuitive, simulant medication can help activate the underdeveloped parts of the brain, specifically the prefrontal and frontal lobes, allowing people with ADHD to focus. This, in turn, helps control the negative effects of ADHD.

 

Physical activities and non-pharmaceutical treatments can help improve cognitive and motor functioning. (Ziereis & Jansen, 2015) At the same time, cognitive behavioral therapy is a common non-surgical treatment that can help people be aware of their thought processes, transforming them from negative to positive. Many healthcare professionals can incorporate a combination of medication and CBT as part of the patient’s treatment plan. It is most beneficial because the medication helps with behavior change more quickly, allowing the person to learn through CBT more quickly with long-term behavioral changes. By making small changes and utilizing various treatment options, individuals dealing with learning disabilities and developmental disorders can have their customizable treatment plan to improve their quality of life in their health and wellness journey.

 

---

Injury Medical & Functional Medicine Clinic

We associate with certified medical providers who understand the importance of the various effects of developmental disorders and learning disabilities affecting the body. While asking important questions to our associated medical providers, we advise patients to implement small changes to their daily routine to reduce the symptoms affecting their bodies. Dr. Alex Jimenez, D.C., envisions this information as an academic service. Disclaimer.

---

References

ADHD & The Brain. (2017).  American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/ADHD_and_the_Brain-121.aspx

Dowker, A. (2024). Developmental Dyscalculia in Relation to Individual Differences in Mathematical Abilities. Children (Basel), 11(6). doi.org/10.3390/children11060623

Gizer, I. R., Ficks, C., & Waldman, I. D. (2009). Candidate gene studies of ADHD: a meta-analytic review. Hum Genet, 126(1), 51-90. doi.org/10.1007/s00439-009-0694-x

Haberstroh, S., & Schulte-Korne, G. (2019). The Diagnosis and Treatment of Dyscalculia. Dtsch Arztebl Int, 116(7), 107-114. doi.org/10.3238/arztebl.2019.0107

Linnet, K. M., Dalsgaard, S., Obel, C., Wisborg, K., Henriksen, T. B., Rodriguez, A., Kotimaa, A., Moilanen, I., Thomsen, P. H., Olsen, J., & Jarvelin, M. R. (2003). Maternal lifestyle factors in pregnancy risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and associated behaviors: review of the current evidence. Am J Psychiatry, 160(6), 1028-1040. doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.160.6.1028

Mukherjee, S. B. (2017). Autism Spectrum Disorders – Diagnosis and Management. Indian J Pediatr, 84(4), 307-314. doi.org/10.1007/s12098-016-2272-2

Munzer, T., Hussain, K., & Soares, N. (2020). Dyslexia: neurobiology, clinical features, evaluation and management. Transl Pediatr, 9(Suppl 1), S36-S45. doi.org/10.21037/tp.2019.09.07

Rajabi, P., Noori, A. S., & Sargolzaei, J. (2024). Autism spectrum disorder and various mechanisms behind it. Pharmacol Biochem Behav, 245, 173887. doi.org/10.1016/j.pbb.2024.173887

Shahane, V., Kilyk, A., & Srinivasan, S. M. (2024). Effects of physical activity and exercise-based interventions in young adults with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review. Autism, 28(2), 276-300. doi.org/10.1177/13623613231169058

Sivamaruthi, B. S., Suganthy, N., Kesika, P., & Chaiyasut, C. (2020). The Role of Microbiome, Dietary Supplements, and Probiotics in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 17(8). doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17082647

Snowling, M. J., Hulme, C., & Nation, K. (2020). Defining and understanding dyslexia: past, present and future. Oxf Rev Educ, 46(4), 501-513. doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2020.1765756

Ziereis, S., & Jansen, P. (2015). Effects of physical activity on executive function and motor performance in children with ADHD. Res Dev Disabil, 38, 181-191. doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2014.12.005

Disclaimer