Famous People With Learning Disabilities » Types Of Learning Disabilities
Learning Disabilities Can Make It Difficult to Form Relationships
Relationships require communication skills that often don’t come naturally to people with learning disabilities. For someone who is already struggling to make sense of printed words, or other sensory input around them, picking up on tone of voice, facial expressions, body language, sarcasm, humor, or clichés is like learning yet another language.
If someone has problems producing clear speech, or speaks more slowly than others, they might hesitate to join in conversations or give yes/no answers to avoid further stress. Telling someone "you should talk more" or "be more sociable" is like telling a blind person to "watch where you're going!"
Learning disabilities are commonly thought of as difficulty with reading, math, or spelling. But LD includes difficulty with the acquisition and use of listening, speaking, reasoning, and social skills. Such challenges can seriously affect the individual's chances of making friends at work, or of finding a life partner. Impaired communication skills sometimes result in isolation and loneliness.
It takes just one person who is sensitive and aware – like an instructor, church member, supervisor or co-worker - to draw out someone who may not be able to initiate a conversation or speak up to volunteer for a task. Modeling may be one solution. The "helper" can suggest that the person role-play in a conversation or listen to a conversation and then discuss it afterwards. Just offering to practice by repetition; i.e. "Say what I say" can help a person speak up in new situations.
In one family with a non-talkative, LD adult son, his brother constantly jokes: “OK – here’s the part where you say something! It’s called having a conversation." Sometimes using humor can draw a response from someone who doesn’t normally join in.
Group activities can help reduce the stress of talking in social situations, and stimulate conversation. Bowling is a good setting because people talk between taking turns bowling, and there is no pressure to maintain a lengthy conversation. Attending a sporting event, like a baseball game, is another way to engage in social conversation in a comfortable setting.
As the individual gains self-confidence, and with support and encouragement, they may be willing to take a risk and attempt a friendship or to be mentored in order to advance on a job. Once a relationship is established, adults with learning disabilities may need suggestions for maintaining the "give and take" involved, like making phone calls (having a script written out or ideas jotted down for things to talk about) or arranging a get-together. What most of us take for granted in talking with people every day can seem overwhelming to someone with LD. They may need to be reminded to stop and "chat" at the water cooler or to sit next to someone in the lunchroom and talk about the news or sports scores. Bringing along a prop like a newspaper or magazine article can boost their confidence.
Families can play a major role in facilitating conversations at dinners, weddings, and other events. Helping a "shy" family member find another person with common interests could end up in a long-term friendship or something more romantically serious. It certainly makes the event more pleasant for the person with LD.
Adults with learning disabilities can always use a little help from a friend. With time and care, one person can help another to find their voice and maybe form a new, worthwhile, and lasting relationship.
Carol Drebin is a business writer who has maintained an active interest in neurobiology and learning disabilities for the last 20 years. She continues to study to gain a better understanding of the functions of the brain and biology of the mind.
Source: www.articledashboard.com