It’s almost impossible to come up with a definitive statement as to the number of children who have learning difficulties. The Learning Disabilities Association of Canada estimate is 3.2%, which is not cast in stone. Part of the problem is people are unclear about what learning disabilities are. A report published in 2013 by the National Center for Learning Disabilities (United States) found that 7 out of 10 educators, parents, and members of the general public thought learning disabilities were linked to intellectual disability. Half of the respondents believed learning disabilities were due to laziness. Many parents ignored signs, hoping their child would grow out of it. Looking back I realize my husband and I should’ve put the pieces together much sooner, saving our son a lot of embarrassment and frustration. It would’ve also clarified for us what his issues were and how we could best help him. Last but not least, our son would’ve realized sooner than later he wasn’t, as he put it, “the dumbest kid in the class”; he was actually a bright kid who simply learned differently from other kids.
The other dynamic operating behind the scene is that not everybody is aware or wants to admit they have a learning challenge. Who wants to be singled out in the classroom as the kid who has to go to the Learning Assistance Centre twice weekly. Nor does every parent want to have their child known as the kid with a learning disability.
Although, my experience has been the fear of stigma is becoming less the case. Having a learning challenge is no longer looked upon as a ticket to academic failure. The number of post secondary students with a learning disability in both university and college is steadily rising. About 22.1% of children with learning disabilities go to university, with 14.6% completing their degree (Ontario, 2010). Most universities and colleges now have departments with a mandate to support students with learning problems. They typically offer workshops on topics like organization, reading and remembering, and test-taking strategies. The only hitch here is, your child must be formally tested to be eligible for these services. I know in my son’s case, he had a complete psychoeducational assessment in grade ten, which was still valid for his first year at university.
This brings to light another problem with figuring out the number of children who have learning disabilities, and that is the inconsistencies across school districts on which children get selected for testing. Some districts have bigger budgets than others for identifying and teaching children with learning problems. If a child is not tested, they cannot be formally recognized as having a learning disability. They still, however, can receive special education services within their school, which is why the number of children receiving learning assistance is typically higher than those formally identified.