A wide range of conditions could hinder the potential of teenagers to learn and keep up with their peers. Certain learning disorders significantly impact their self-esteem and confidence making their academic journey difficult.
Experiencing constant struggles to learn and score better might make them question their abilities and could result in severe issues like anxiety and depression. If these disorders are left untreated they could potentially affect their future prospects, goals, and aspirations.
Learning Disorders In Teenagers
🔶 Dyslexia
It is a condition that affects the ability to read and process languages. One who has dyslexia could have trouble spelling words and writing. Teenagers struggling with dyslexia will find it difficult to articulate their thoughts and write meaningful sentences. Moreover, this affects the confidence and self-esteem of the individual as they feel embarrassed doing activities like reading and participating in their classes.
As a result of this, they might try to avoid circumstances where they have to be part of such activities contributing to social isolation. It is important to keep in mind that people with dyslexia can excel in other areas and develop certain valuable skills.
🔶 Dyscalculia
It is a learning disorder that mainly affects one’s ability to understand numbers and mathematical problems and concepts. Teenagers with dyscalculia have trouble understanding basic math operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
This condition makes it challenging for teenagers to grasp numbers and their relationships, measurements, and geometric concepts. Other than basic math operations this condition could also affect teenagers’ ability to tell time and manage schedules. This condition could develop a sense of fear and frustration in the subject which intensifies the condition.
🔶 Dysgraphia
It affects the teenager’s ability to write in a clear understandable format. Messy handwriting and hard-to-read work are part of this condition that makes learning more challenging. As a result of this condition, they have trouble organizing thoughts and putting them into words which affects the clarity of their writing.
Moreover, it is common to notice that they have trouble copying paragraphs from books or boards as they have slow writing speed. This condition hinders their ability their ability to study and excel which leaves them frustrated and upset.
Also Check: Identifying Symptoms Of Personality Disorders In Teens: How To Recognize The Signs
🔶 Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Teenagers with ADHD struggle to pay attention to details affecting their ability to finish tasks and follow instructions. Another common symptom they experience is restlessness and often have trouble partaking in activities that are not engaging enough. Moreover, they have a tendency to act without being concerned about the consequences of their actions.
This condition affects their ability to be attentive and focused which affects their academic performance. As they have constant fluctuations in their moods, emotional outbursts, and frustration this complicates their relationships with others resulting in social isolation.
🔶 Specific Language Impairment (SLI)
It is a disorder affecting the ability to develop language skills like having trouble finding the right words, articulating their thoughts, communicating with others, and expressing themselves. It mostly extends to affecting the ability to read write and difficulty in formulating sentences in a grammatically correct way.
Moreover, this affects the way one builds relationships in society as it is hard to follow conversations and respond accordingly. Teenagers with SLI will develop a very weak vocabulary and will find it challenging to learn new words to improve their communication skills.
🔶 Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)
It is a condition where the brain has difficulty processing auditory information. Teenagers with this disorder will have trouble understanding spoken language. As it impacts listening skills they will misinterpret the information causing confusion.
Due to this condition, teens have trouble excelling in academics as it is challenging to take down notes and understand information correctly. Additionally, individuals with this condition might have sensitivity toward sound posing more challenges to normal life. APD affects one’s ability to be focused especially in the tasks that require listening.
🔶 Nonverbal Learning Disorder ( NVLD)
Individuals with this condition will find it challenging to understand body language, facial expressions, and other nonverbal means of communication. Nonverbal communication is critical to understanding the context of the situation for navigating interactions in a better way.
NVLD makes it difficult for someone to be part of a social group as they cannot comprehend sarcasm and underlying meanings in the conversation. It also poses academic challenges for teenagers affecting their ability to understand abstract concepts.
Read More: Dissociative Identity Disorder In Teens – What You Should Know?
Conclusion
With the right guidance and support, we could offer help to teenagers struggling with these disorders. Diagnosis and treatment of such learning disorders are important as they will affect an individual in many aspects. Moreover, it affects social relationships and creates academic challenges for teenagers that might affect their overall development and well-being.
