Are learning disabilities hereditary?

Question

My husband has a reading disability. However, he is a successful engineer pursuing a masters degree in mechanical engineering. He struggled a lot the early years of his schooling, until he got the proper support. He is very bright. My concern is when we have children, are the risks much higher for them to have a learning disability?

Answer 1

Yes i am afraid some are hereditary eg dyslexia and autism. The traits are passed on to some of the children but the degree of the disability varies. Your husband has done well in his life because he was able to cope. You will need a lot of support in dealing with such disabilities but that doesn't mean they can't function in life. The Prime Minister in my country(S'pore) has dyslexia and so does his son but both are very successful and brilliant men. Be positive and don't let this discourage you from having kids. It is better in this day and age because there are many resources/schools/ help centers for support. Hope this helps!

I have worked with kids with learning disabilities and have a son with a reading disability who is coping because I care enough to believe in him!

Answer 2

no they're not,I am in a wheelchair and have spina bifida but the rest of my family doesn't.

Answer 3

There is always a chance of hereitary traits but that should not stop you from having a family.

Answer 4

Most learnign disabilities probably are 'genetic', but they do seem to run in families---

just liek diabetes, heart disease, etc...

Answer 5

Some learning disabilities have a genetic component and may therefore be passed from one generation to the next. A lot of learning disabilities are not inherited and may be randomly occurring.

If you are concerned about your husbands condition being passed on to any children you may have I would suggest you talk to your G.P. about a referral for genetic counselling. This would enable you to discover what potential there is for your child/ren inheriting conditions.

As the parent of a son with autism and moderate learning difficulties I can assure you that having a child with a disability, while it is challenging, is certainly not the end of the world. I am certainly a better person for the experience.

Answer 6

Learning Disabilities can be severe or they can be mild or even moderate. Sometimes learning disabilities are hereditary, that is, if your parents or grandparents have one, then the chances of you having the same is high. Learning disabilities are permanent and cannot be cured. However, today with so much expertise in this field it is much easier to get help than in the good old days.

Q: What causes learning disabilities?

A: The causes of learning disabilities are complex and not well understood. In fact, the causes of learning disabilities may be as diverse as the types of learning disabilities. Students may have problems with early-, intermediate-, or advanced reading; early- intermediate-, or advanced-computation; early-, intermediate-, or advanced-written expression; recall of simple or related concepts; attending to relevant versus irrelevant aspects of lessons or activities; and so forth. Those problems may be the result of many different causes.

Recent research has discovered differences in the brain structure and functioning of readers with learning disabilities but this is only a beginning. Learning disabilities may be caused by hereditary, teratogenic (e.g., alcohol, lead, cocaine), medical (e.g., premature birth, diabetes, meningitis), and environmental (e.g., malnutrition, poor prenatal healthcare) factors.

Research seeking to base instruction on the cause of an individual’s learning disability has not been successful. Apparently, rather than determining the cause of a student’s problems, it is more important to determine the individual’s unique educational needs and design instruction that has the best chance of helping him or her to meet those needs.