Disability vs difficulties?

[Whyohwhy99]

Can anyone explain the difference between learning difficulties and learning disabilities please?

Difficulties i'd say were dyslexia?

Learning difficulties are such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, auditory processing disorder, ADHD. People with Learning Difficulties may well have a normal or high iq.

Learning disabilities are conditions that affect intellect and/or understanding and cause difficulties with everyday tasks. They can coexist so someone with a Learning Disability such as Downs may also have dyslexia or ADHD.

I think you have to be careful with the terms because, depending on the place and the service, learning disability can mean something like dyslexia or it can mean an intellectual disability. Learning difficulties usually mean conditions like dyslexia etc iirc.

I learned from previous MN threads that there is a mismatch between the terminology used in the UK health system and the terminology used in the UK educational system and the terms used also vary between countries.

I’d have to look it up again to be sure of what term is used where, but I do know now to always be very aware of the source when reading up on things, and to check I know exactly what the writer means.

This is how I understand it too.

Learning difficulties are difficulties that are specific to education. Things like dyslexia, etc.

Learning disability is a medical diagnosis and it applies to the person's overall developmental needs, which will include education.

And yet the first couple of sentences from the International Dyslexia Association say this:
“What is dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability.”

As I mentioned upthread the terminology varies from place to place, and it has also varied over time, with older articles about dyslexia more likely to use terms like disability and newer ones more likely to say things like difference or difficulty.
Dyslexia can officially be classed as a disability under the Equality Act though.

I tend to use the term intellectual disability rather than learning disability for this reason, as it’s more clearly understood. For conditions such as dyslexia, I tend to just name them.

Dyslexia/dyspraxia etc are known as Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) and fall under the umbrella of "disability" as defined by the equality act. So they are both a difference and a disability, if that makes sense.

What does intellectual mean?

Also with dyslexia what is the etc? As in what other things are there?

And I still don't get it. Can there be an over lap? Or an inbetween

We use the explanation that a learning difficulty is something which makes it harder to learn than others, but you can still learn. A learning disability means that your ability to learn something is restricted no matter how it is taught or how long you take. Learning disability is generally more about overall IQ whereas a learning difficulty is not usually related to IQ.

Learning disability is not to be confused with disability - a learning difficulty such as dyslexia can be a disability in the general definition of the term - a long term condition that has a significant impact on day to day life. Learning disability is a specific term.

Im so confused 😭. I'm reading that a learning disability is not a learning difficulty but it also is.

In the UK, a learning disability is a diagnosis in its own right. Learning difficulties can be general or specific. Things like dyslexia and dsycalculia as specific learning difficulties. But it is possible to have general learning difficulties. Learning difficulties can still meet the definition of disability as per the Equality Act, but that doesn’t make it a learning disability. Although someone may have both.

And yet the first couple of sentences from the International Dyslexia Association say this:
“What is dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability.”

That will be because despite the international part, the International Dyslexia Association uses American language, which makes sense because their HQ is in the US. The US uses the terminology of intellectual disability for what is known as a learning disability here.

“Disability” is an umbrella term often used in employment context to protect the employee’s rights or in healthcare. It can include both Learning Difficulties and Learning Disabilities as well as physical conditions. A Learning Disability is something you are born with which maybe evident at birth (like Downs) or as a person develops (like a Developmental Delay).

intellectual issues can mean struggling with basics of reading, numeracy, understanding ideas and following instructions, retaining information. Someone can have multiple issues which overlap and affect them differently to another person even with same conditions.

Can you say which condition or difficulty you are confused about, these things can over lap and have different terminology which imo is foreever changing if you have a specific condition that you are wondering about posters might be able to help so you are not so confused.

So would intellectal come under learning difficulties?

I don't know myself. I just know I have learning difficulties. Where i have been referred for ADHD and autism to be looked into is says they can't accept people with moderate learning disabilities . And I'm worried they may not see me.

Its to do with IQ. Learning disability is an IQ under 80 (or maybe 70, i forget the exact cut off)

It’s so hard op! My son got a form home recently about extra help and what his needs are and I suddenly began questioning this a lot too

I know adult services can be dificult to negotiate but I think if you have been referred for assessments then you are likely to be seen.

If you had a moderate learning disability, your GP should know and shouldn’t have referred to a service who do not accept patients with a moderate learning disability. If you are concerned, you could contact your GP.

I would love to know my IQ I don't know how to do it though.

A learning difficulty such as dyslexia specifically affects the ability to read and comprehend what a person has just read but not a persons IQ
Whereas a learning disabillity affects everthing and they person with one may nedd support in evrry day life to be independent and safe.
And they can range from mild to profound

No, an intellectual problem is an integral part of a person. It is a symptom of a Learning Disability but can be mild, moderate or severe in degree and how it affects everyday life. It may also coexist with a Learning Difficulty such as Dyslexia and make it more tricky to overcome. A psychologist can test IQ and associated processing difficulties .

Yes this is a US vs UK language difference.

in the US, dyslexia etc are classified as “specific learning disabilities.” It is one of the legal categories under special education law.

a global delay is Intellectual Disability, which can vary in severity. ID can co-occur with other disabilities, eg autism with ID

Whats integral mean? I don't know what intellectual means either i was guessing which is why I asked. So now I don't know what any of them means.

Ok so I have moderate learning difficulties and dyslexia. Is one a difficulty and the other a disability?

Intellectual is a broad term for how bright or smart you are. Technically it goes beyond that but it is about how you think and ability to learn. Integral in that it is a part of you, something set at birth unlike an acquired brain injury from an accident for example. Because they can overlap it makes unpicking causes and support tricky. A high iq can mask some learning issues such as dyslexia so that a diagnosis is made late. A low iq can mean that testing for any issues beyond the Learning Disability is difficult. Yes in your example you are correct.