Your child may not be 'daft' they may be suffering a learning disorder

There are varieties of psychological disorders with extremities with 'a' as a prefix; which indicates an inability to perform a function, and a prefix 'dys' which indicates that there's a dysfunction, as such a patient can function in that domain with some help.

Our focus will be on learning dysfunctions ranging from dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia.

In the latter part of 2021, social media users were taken aback when a video of a young mechanic apprentice who was unable to re-write a number written on the ground went viral on social media.

Under that publication on social media, many netizens joked about how useless, ignorant, and ‘daft’ that boy was.

Unfortunately, the poor boy is not alone in this situation; there are millions of children and adults in Ghana and around the world who face similar challenges.

It is not because they are ignorant, not intelligent, or ‘daft’ but because they may be facing one of the above-mentioned learning disorders.

Let us first learn about learning disorders before passing judgment on someone who has them; the explanations below are based on psychological research findings.

"Agraphia is an impairment or loss of a previous ability to write. Agraphia can occur in isolation, although it often occurs concurrently with other neurologic deficits such as alexia, apraxia, or hemispatial neglect."

In the scenario of the young apprentice, chances are, he was suffering Agraphia.

"Acalculia is the inability to process numbers and perform calculations. It may be acquired after a brain lesion or derive from congenital defects of the nervous system."

Let's focus on dyslexia for this write-up;

Dyslexia is a learning disorder that affects a person's ability to read and spell. It is thought to be caused by differences in the way the brain processes language, and it can make it difficult for a person to learn to read and spell at a typical pace.

Symptoms of dyslexia may include difficulty with phonemic awareness (the ability to hear and manipulate individual sounds in words), difficulty with phonics (the relationship between sounds and written letters), and difficulty with fluency (the ability to read smoothly and accurately).

People with dyslexia may also have difficulty with spelling and may have trouble with reading comprehension.

Dyslexia is a common learning disorder, and it is estimated to affect about 10% of the population. It is often first identified in childhood, but it can also affect adults.

Dyslexia is not caused by a lack of intelligence or a lack of motivation, and it is not the result of a person being lazy or careless. Treatment for dyslexia typically involves specialized instruction and support to help the person learn to read and spell at their own pace.

This may include interventions such as phonics instruction, multisensory teaching methods, and accommodations such as extra time for tests or the use of assistive technology.

It's important for people with dyslexia to receive the support and accommodations they need to succeed in school and in life.

With the right support and accommodations, people with dyslexia can learn to read and spell at a proficient level and go on to achieve their goals and reach their full potential.