“Learning disability” is an all–encompassing term referring to people’s inability to process information, thus leading to difficulties at school, at work, or in social situations. Generally speaking, learning disabilities last a lifetime and affect a person’s ability to read, communicate, calculate mathematical problems and build social relationships. But learning disabilities are often combined with other physical and mental difficulties. For example, some people also have complex physical needs or have challenging behaviour. So the term “learning disability” refers to a much more complex range of issues and conditions than you might expect. Across much of the rest of Europe and North America, the term “intellectual disability” is used to describe a “learning disability”.
The World Health Organisation (Geneva 1996) defines acquired brain injury as:-
‘Damage to the brain, which occurs after birth and is not related to a congenital or a degenerative disease. These impairments may be temporary or permanent and cause partial or functional disability or psychosocial maladjustment.’
Autism affects how people perceive the world and interact with others and is a lifelong developmental disability.
Autistic people see, hear and feel the world differently to other people. Autism is not an illness or disease and cannot be ‘cured’. Often people feel being autistic is a fundamental aspect of their identity.
Autism is a spectrum condition. All autistic people share certain difficulties, but being autistic will affect them in different ways. Some autistic people also have learning disabilities, mental health issues or other conditions, meaning people need different levels of support. All people on the autism spectrum learn and develop. With the right sort of support, all can be helped to live the life they want.