THE ENVIRONMENT AND LEARNING DISABILITIESA Historical Perspective Until recent research proved otherwise, the influence of the environment in causing learning disabilities was an unknown factor. These children were intelligent, bright and alert, yet they had difficulty learning. An early definition of learning disability focused on what they were not because it was not yet determined what they were. This premise has continued as part of the definition of a learning disability. The schools were faced with educating these children who were having difficulty learning, and because there was evidence that these learning difficulties were not observed in the out of school environment, additional research ensured. The learning behaviors of children were carefully observed, assessed, and documented. Early research findings revealed that each child had different strengths and weaknesses, and that the learning strengths could be used to help the child to learn more effectively in the classroom. Subsequent research supported the finding of different learning styles in children, and suggested the need to acknowledge and accommodate learning styles in the classroom. With modern advances in technology, scientists are now able to look into the living brains of children. The amazing benefit has been that research is now reporting that the development of the brain and nervous system also differs from child to child, and that the specific differences in brain and nervous system development accounts for the specific differences in learning abilities. The most recent research has revealed that the way in which the brain and nervous system develop is influenced by the experiences the child has during the years that his nervous system is developing. As a result, early childhood experiences became a subject of research.
While intensive research identified many early learning experiences that contribute to the development of learning skills, the environmental factor identified as having the most impact upon the child’s development was found to be his relationship with his parents and their attitude toward his success. This relationship is referred to as parenting, and all other factors in the environment were found to be secondary to it. Other important factors in the child's environment include nutrition, allergies to food, toxic chemicals, and heavy metals. A lack of sleep and physical exercise are additional factors. And, most importantly, when these factors are removed, the brain returns to normal functioning.
Research findings suggest that specific learning disabilities can be prevented, remedied, or corrected by identifying, and removing the specific factors in the environment that are preventing normal development of the child's central nervous system. Simply stated, to prevent, mediate or correct the cause of a child’s specific learning disability, you simply clean up the child’s environment. Researchers report that, in some instances, suggested methods have shown results in only a few days. Removing harmful irritants and other sources of trauma from the child’s environment first requires a commitment on the part of parents or primary caretakers to identify and eliminate them. Once the commitment is made, a short learning curve is required while the parent or primary caretaker becomes familiar with what to look for, and what to do if it is found. Analyzing a child's environment is a big challenge, but it can be done. If you are the parent or primary caretaker of a child with learning disabilities, this may modify your lifestyle while you learn what to look for, but the deciding to make a difference in the life of a child is a major decision that every parent or primary caretaker must make. Finding the causes of learning disability in a child's environment is a task that only the parent or primary caretaker can undertake.
Being a parent is one of the toughest jobs known to mankind, and now in addition to all the other stresses and strains, you have to become an environmentalist. Do not despair you are not alone in the effort to prepare your child for learning. Needed information has been researched, has been summarized and made readily available for immediate application in meeting the challenges. All the information necessary to immediately accomplish the objective of helping a child to learn have been researched and identified. The steps are: make a commitment, empower yourself with the needed information, apply the information, and give it a few days. Then note the change in the teacher. Your child’s improvement will be so rewarding that the teacher will begin to interact with him differently in the classroom and he will improve even more.
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