Learning Disabilities and Anxiety

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by Eileen Bailey
Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Children with learning disabilities may have more anxiety and higher levels of anxiety than children without LD, according to an article, "Anxiety Among Kids with LD: Three Clinical Psychologists Discuss Causes and Symptoms."  [1]

Types of Anxiety

Although there are many different types of anxiety, a generalization would be "an excessive or inappropriate state of arousal characterized by feelings of apprehension, uncertainty or fear."  [2] Anxiety symptoms can be mild to severe, with severe symptoms interfering with a child's ability to carry out daily activities, including going to school, completing homework or socializing with classmates.

Some of the major types of anxiety include:

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder

• Panic Disorder

• Specific Phobias

• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

• Post Traumatic Anxiety Disorder

• Social Anxiety Disorder

• Separation Anxiety

Each type of anxiety may have specific symptoms and be triggered by different events or situations. For example, a specific phobia may be a fear of dogs but generalized anxiety disorder can include excessive worrying. Even so, there are some general symptoms of anxiety parents can look for:

• Excessive or irrational fears, for example a child may be afraid of dogs, without any basis to that fear or may have an irrational fear of being separated from his or her parents.

• Constant worrying, disproportionate to the situation.  For example, a child may worry about an upcoming test, which is normal, however, worrying for weeks and losing sleep over a test is not.

Some anxiety is normal and healthy. It helps us to remain alert and aware of danger. A child should feel some anxiety about crossing a street. It helps him or her to remember to look both ways to stay safe. An abnormal amount of anxiety, however, can be unhealthy and hold a child back from participating in healthy, beneficial activities.

Causes of Anxiety

Children with learning disabilities may feel frustration over not being able to "keep up" with the class or having difficulty completing assignments. These feelings can begin even before a child enters kindergarten but may intensify as he or she progresses through school. Children with learning disabilities may also lack coping skills and strategies, making stressful situations even harder.

Besides the academic difficulties, children with learning disabilities may feel stress from:

• Feeling left out, not having many friends, being socially ostracized

• Frequent visits with doctors, psychologists or learning specialists, feeling as if there is "something wrong" with them

Even before a learning disability is suspected, parents can be frustrated, not understanding why a child is having problems, maybe believing the child is being lazy or just not trying hard enough. Parents may disagree with how to handle the situation, one may believe punishment and discipline measures are needed while the other tries method after method to help the child learn. Parents may be at odds with one another, creating stress within the home. This type of environment can add to the stress the child feels.