What are the symptoms of learning disorders in adults?

Answer 1

SYMPTOMS: Can't concentrate. Not absorbing what they are reading. Hyper-active (can't sit still long enough to learn anything.) Sometimes the person keeps it a great dark secret that they have not learned to read and write and believe it or not the stats on illiteracy are staggering in the U.S. and Canada when it shouldn't be at all. Often the person is too embarrassed to learn to read or write, but now it has been recognized and one can get private tutoring and no one need know. I believe in not just words, but pictures, so, if it's simply because the person can't read or write (I helped a 40 year old man out) put words on a card with a cut-out picture beside it. In 6 weeks this man could read quite well and he certainly had a thirst for knowledge. Then we started working on his writing skills which took a bit longer. If a person is Dyslexic they can see numbers or letters backwards, but with professional coaching they can correct this. I realized that some people learn from hearing what a person says and it penetrates the thought pattern, to the other 40 - 50% of people that learn quicker by learning the "using method." Eg: If you are trying to teach a person computer you could sit down with one person and talk about it and they get the message, but, there are some adults that simply need "hands on" and once you show them how it works then they'll never forget. I myself have always been the type of person that learns extremely quickly if someone shows me how it works more so than if they try explaining themselves. Some people just aren't good teachers or, they are so engrossed in what they are doing and they forget that not everyone is use to the technical terms they use and may not be on the same train of thought as they are. That's nothing to be embarrassed about. My parents brought me up to always be honest and if I didn't understand something then ask for help. If a person seems off in "dreamland" and can't concentrate on one thing, or they may be mesmerized by moving objects and tune out others around them this could be ADD or AHD. This also includes hyper-active attitude and sometimes anger outbursts. Many of the learning disabilities and "acting out" of an adult is simply too much sugar! If one slowly takes that person off sugar and they have a good diet the change in that person is remarkable. Too often doctors throw pills at people with problems when something as simple as going off sugar or getting on a good diet with some vitamins can do the trick. Other problems that can mask a person as having a learning disorder is thyroid disorder or anemia, or even heart problems. Drugs (street drugs or alcohol) can certainly stunt the learning process in teens or adults. Many that do this will disagree and they feel they are smarter, but that's because in their own mind they think they are doing just fine, but the grades or work productivity tells it all. It's best to have the adult tested by a specialist and it could be as simple as a hearing disorder. My brother and his wife were getting so angry at their youngest son Cam because he didn't appear to be listening to them and his grades at school were slipping. It turned out he had a hearing problem and had to wear plastic tubes in his ears for 6 months and after that everything was fine.

Answer 2

shyness, problems relating with spouse or significant others, troubles, focusing, overload on sensory issues, brilliance, will be doing your taxes, or fixing your computer!

Autism isn't usually diagnosed until the child is 2 - 3 or more years. There is mild to severe cases with Autism and can vary between individuals. 1 -2 in 1,000 will have Autism and it's considered a genetic factor. However mild cases of Autism can go unnoticed because they appear to be masked from either being depressed to Obsessive Compulsive Disorders; narcissistic traits, anti social traits, etc., so it appears the adult who has Autism has developed it during adulthood, when, in reality they have had it since birth. There are no tests to see if your baby has autism and there is no cure, but, with love, patience and help from doctors many children are growing up to lead an almost normal lifestyle and holding down jobs. Some have families and a few take the risk of having children. These are some of the symptoms that all Autistic children/adults may exhibit:

• Problems developing nonverbal communication skills such as eye to eye gazing, facial expression and body posture.
• Failure during childhood (sometimes into adulthood) to establish friends.
• Lack of interest in sharing items of their own, enjoyment, different interests or achievements with other people.
• People with autism may have difficulty understanding another person's feelings such as sadness, grief or pain.
• While children there may be a delay in, or lack of, learning to speak and as many as 50% of people with autism never speak.
• Autistic people find it difficult to start a conversation or continuing a conversation once it has begun.
• A person with Autism will often repeat over and over a phrase they have heard previously.
• Children as well as adults are often fascinated by train schedules, weather patterns, or license plates.
• They have a need for a specific routine (e.g. an adult may take the same bus route to wherever they are going and if the bus schedule changes this can be extremely difficult on an Autistic adult.
• In most Autistic people body rocking and hand flapping occurs.

Some adults with Autism are able to work and live on their own and lead an independent lifestyle. Approximately 33% are able to achieve at least some (but not all) acts of independence. It is important for people to realize that Autistic adults can have high intelligence in many areas and if well supervised can carry out may jobs in the workforce such as working on or with computers and have extra talents such as memorizing lists (which most of us can't do), solving difficult math problems, calculating calendar dates, drawing and exceptional musical abilities. Many people with Autism have high sensory perceptions. E.g. they may tell you a light touch feels painful to them and deep pressure provides a calming sensation to them. Some may not feel pain at all. Some will have strong food likes or dislikes and unusual cravings. Many Autistic children or adults are quite capable of entering into some forms of sports, music, etc.