FAQ: What are the causes of learning disability?
There are many reasons why learning disability occurs. Impairments which cause or contribute to learning disability can happen before, during or after birth.
Before birth or pre-natal: These are known as 'congenital' causes and include Down syndrome or Fragile X syndrome.
During birth or peri-natal casues: For example oxygen deprivation resulting in cerebral palsy.
After birth, or post natal causes such as illnesses, injury or environmental conditions, for example, meningitis, brain injury or children being deprived attention to their basic needs - undernourished, neglected or physically abused.
It may be useful to know the causes of someone's learning disability, as some types of learning disability are thought to be associated with particular learning characteristics. For example, some syndromes or impairments are associated with medical conditions. Knowling this will enable us to help people avoid situations which may be dangerous or help us deal with emergencies.
However, we need to remember that people are people first, and value their
individuality. People with a learning disability, like the rest of us, dislike
being labelled and always described in terms of their disability.
More Information
BILD Factsheet - What is a Learning
Disability Further information about how learning disability is
measured, and some information about the numbers of people in the UK thought to
have a learning disability.
Contact a Family Directory www.cafamily.org.uk/dirworks.html The Contact a Family directory has information about a range of specific syndromes, including information about support groups.
Page ref: '05faqs_1' Owned by: enquiries@bild.org.uk Last updated: 30/07/2007