You probably have friends with learning disabilities, but you just don’t know it. It’s not usually something that you can just see by being around someone. And here's why:
1. Having a learning disability is not equal to being unintelligent.
In fact, people with learning disabilities are often of very high intelligence.
2. We need patience and understanding, not pity or condescension.
This is why people are not open about their experiences of their learning disability with people. We do not want to be treated differently, and there is no reason that we should be. It is not helpful, it’s just condescending.
3. Our disabilities are biological, and nothing else.
Our disabilities were not caused by any external factors. They will not change. They will never go away. We did not cause them. We are not just lazy.
4. Things that you think are simple, may be very complex to us.
Because we learn in a different way, we may be less developed in skills that are typically more developed in the average person, but we are more developed in ways that the average person is less developed.
5. Having a learning disability just means that we learn in ways that are atypical.
It isn’t that we can’t learn, it’s that we learn differently than the majority.
6. We’re not lazy.
We don’t just sit around using this thing called a learning disability as an excuse to get out of doing things. Learning disabilities can cause stress over things that other people take for granted. Simple tasks can be a challenge because they are suited for people with typical learning styles.
7. We're really not that different from you.
We only learn in a different way than you. So, please take these into account, but don't treat us differently from anyone else. In fact, it can be hurtful if you do.
