Can you be smart but have a learning disability? (2023)

Can you be smart and have a learning disability?

Learning disabilities constitute an invisible handicap which affects 2 to 3% of all adolescents. Those who have very high intelligence may be able to hide the handicap until academic challenges become sufficiently difficult or complex to unmask them.

Definition of gifted/learning disability

Students who are gifted and have learning disabilities are those who have an outstanding gift or talent and are capable of high performance, but who also have a learning disability that makes some aspect of academic achievement difficult.

NICE states that: 'A learning disability is generally defined by three core criteria: Lower intellectual ability (usually an IQ of less than 70). Significant impairment of social or adaptive functioning.

Although it is usually mistaken as intellectual fault, having a learning disability is not related to an individual's intellectual capability. People with learning difficulties tend to score within the normal range of IQ functioning on an IQ test.

With the right support and interventions, however, children and adults with learning disabilities can succeed in school and life. Recognizing, accepting and understanding your learning disability are the first steps to success.

The top five most common learning disabilities are dyslexia, ADHD, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, and dyspraxia.

Mild – A person who is said to have a mild learning disability is usually able to hold a conversation, and communicate most of their needs and wishes. They may need some support to understand abstract or complex ideas. People are often independent in caring for themselves and doing many everyday tasks.

An intellectual disability describes below-average IQ and a lack of skills needed for daily living. This condition used to be called “mental retardation.” A learning disability refers to weaknesses in certain academic skills. Reading, writing and math are the main ones.

How do you test for learning disability?

Common achievement tests used to diagnose a learning disability (as part of a comprehensive battery) are the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement (WJ), Wechsler Individual Achievement Test, Fourth Edition (WIAT-4), and Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement, Third Edition (KTEA-3).

Federal law states that a learning disability (LD) is a permanent neurological disorder that may be subtle to severe. It limits the brain's ability to store, process, and produce information and affects a person's ability to speak, listen, read, write, or do math.

Learning disabilities affect how a person learns to read, write, speak, and do math. They are caused by differences in the brain, most often in how it functions but also sometimes in its structure. These differences affect the way the brain processes information.

Someone with a mild learning disability may be able to live a fairly independent life, though they may need extra support to achieve this. Someone with a greater degree of disability will need help all their lives with most aspects of their daily lives, such as eating and washing.

When should you disclose? Disclosing a disability may be a consideration when transitioning to postsecondary education, starting a new job, or keeping a job. Generally, adults with learning disabilities find it best to disclose information only if accommodations will be required in that setting.

The most common disability type, mobility, affects 1 in 7 adults.

Learning disabilities occur in very young children, yet they are usually not noticed until the child reaches school age. Learning disabilities can be lifelong conditions. In some people, several overlapping learning disabilities may occur.

A learning disability is a reduced intellectual ability and difficulty with everyday activities – for example household tasks, socialising or managing money – which affects someone for their whole life.

The most common types of learning disabilities involve problems with reading, writing, math, reasoning, listening, and speaking. While every kid has trouble with homework from time to time, if a certain area of learning is consistently problematic, it might indicate a learning disorder.

What should you not say to a learning disability?

No! Unlike learning disability, mental health problems can affect anyone at any time and may be overcome with treatment. A learning disability is a reduced intellectual difficulty with everyday activities which affects someone for their whole life.

Learning disabilities are usually not diagnosed until students have been in school for about three years, but there are often early signs of disabilities that parents may notice. More importantly, there are also strategies and resources that can help.

They can, but it's not just that. It's that IQ is a very noisy measure of all intellectual talents averaged together, and some people with unimpressive general IQs can still be extremely talented in particular fields. Even such a stereotypically intellectual pursuit as chess only correlates with IQ at 0.24.

LD- Yes, if qualified to do assessment of intellectual functioning or if uses results of assessment done by PhD level psychologist or trained school psychologist. ADHD- Can offer guidance.

Our brain imaging work shows that people with learning disabilities have abnormal function in areas of the brain involved in cognitive processes necessary for learning, including language, writing, reading, problem-solving, attention, memory, math, and information processing.

Having a learning disability means that people find it harder to learn certain life skills. The problems experienced vary from person to person, but may include aspects such as learning new things, communication, managing money, reading, writing, or personal care.

Based on 2018-19 data, males with a learning disability have a life expectancy at birth of 66 years. This is 14 years lower than for males in the general population. Based on 2018-19 data, females with a learning disability have a life expectancy of 67 years.

So many people with ADHD have higher IQs than those without ADHD and vice-versa. Moreover, studies of people with high IQs support the idea that ADHD can be validly diagnosed among very intelligent individuals.

Mild – A person who is said to have a mild learning disability is usually able to hold a conversation, and communicate most of their needs and wishes. They may need some support to understand abstract or complex ideas. People are often independent in caring for themselves and doing many everyday tasks.

What are red flags of learning disability?

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS - Some early signs for detection

Trouble learning the alphabet, numbers, colors, shapes, etc. Difficulty in holding and controlling pencils and crayons. Trouble learning connection between letters and sounds. Distinguishing right from left.

They can, but it's not just that. It's that IQ is a very noisy measure of all intellectual talents averaged together, and some people with unimpressive general IQs can still be extremely talented in particular fields. Even such a stereotypically intellectual pursuit as chess only correlates with IQ at 0.24.

Highly intelligent children and adults with ADHD have been shown to rely on more efficient parts of the brain to make up for the weaker executive functioning associated with ADHD. So, people with high IQs tend to perform better in school and in life despite their ADHD.

Each other used a cut-off of 80 or above or did not take IQ into account. For instance, among the 18 studies under scrutiny that did not explicitly state an IQ cut-off point the mean range of IQ among individuals with ADHD reported in the studies is from 102 to 110.