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Adults with LD / ADD having childern.

Submitted by an LD OnLine user on

Dose any one knows where to find reports, information, or reserch online on if learning disabilities are hereditary. If children of LD/ADD parent will likely have the same disability?

Thanks

Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 03/04/2003 - 3:07 PM

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Interesting topic.

I started my family. Had two children, both with disabilities, and THEN backed into the fact that both my ex- and I have disablities. Would I have done things differently had I know before hand? Maybe…which would have been a shame as both my children have a lot to contaribute to society.

Barb

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 03/05/2003 - 2:09 PM

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Thats an interesting question. I approach this as someone who has disabilities yet no one else in my family has a disability. However there are some members of my father family who now have neurological diseases; it leads me wondering if there is some sort of connection. My father had Parkinson’s Disease, his sibling has Parkinson’s Disease, and his aunt has Alzheimer’s; is there a connection? While my guess is yes there are not enough facts to prove my gut feeling.

I think though that there is an either or chance that a child who has a parent who is learning disabled will become learning disabled. As for me neither of my parents had learning disabilities yet I have several. I don’t know the exact numbers but I think that some research cooroberates those findings. There is a chance that that could happen but then there’s a chance that this could not happen-that’s the thing with procreating-there are no chances or guarantees. Unfortunately.

That being said do not let this stop you from having children(if that’s why you are asking this question). I have learning disabilities, am 28, my boyfriend whom I have been with for seven/eight years also has learning disabilities/ADD plus a history of mental illness in his family. That will not deter us from eventually having children. There are so many better ways to cope with ADD then there were when I was growing up, probably when you were growing up.

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 03/05/2003 - 9:24 PM

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I was told by my son’s Child Psych 4 years ago that a study was being conducted regarding the link btween ADHD and a family history of Parkinson’s-my son’s paternal grandfather had the disease.

Since the organization is very much in the news these days due to Michael J. Fox, maybe you can find some info on their website.

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 03/06/2003 - 7:43 PM

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I come from a family of six I am the only one with ld. I have three girlds the two oldest are straige A WITH VERY LITTLE EFORt. Myyoungest is having some trouble is being test right now.BUT very mild she is just at grade level. I also have one nice with LD. I was six weeks premaut(early) MY DOCTER THOUGH THAT MIGHT HAVE SOME THING TO DO WITH IT. JOANNE

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 03/06/2003 - 7:56 PM

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Many children with LD and ADD/HD grow up to be more successful than their nondisabled peers. I think the disabiltiy itself can be an advantage when it come to empathizing with others, compassion, working hard, and the desire to be successful inspite of others/or disability.

Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 03/07/2003 - 9:18 PM

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I can only speak from experience. I have ADD/LDs, so does my husband, as do our three children. Be aware, there are indeed consequences to bringing an ADD/LD child into the world, for both child and parent. I believe Harvard or some other prestigious school is currently conducting studies or is seeking subjects for a new study as regards heredity and ADD/LD.

If you have ADD/LDs yourself, you might really want to consider how that might also affect your child. Parenting is the hardest thing you will ever do, parenting done well, even harder, done well with an ADD/LD child still harder!
Out of the question?
Debatable.
Improbable?
Likely.
Joy to be found?
A resounding, YES.
Frustration?
a total understatment.
Still worth the trip?
Only if you like doing 16 countries in 4 days
she says stepping out of herself, tongue in cheek.

~Wren

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 03/17/2003 - 9:15 PM

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My husband and his ex-wife both have LD in their families as well as struggle with it themselves. My 2 stepchildren both have high functioning autism and ADD/ADHD- a condition that we’ve been told is related to LD. The genetic factor is interesting, although no doctor can tell us for sure. We are planning on having our own children together in the near future.

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 04/07/2003 - 6:50 AM

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I once went to Hyde Park in London on a sunday morning- one of the fellows debating (while standing on a box so as not to spoil the queen’s land)defined expert for all of us there; x being the unknown facote and spurt being an uncontrolled bowel movement. Having said that- aren’t we much farter along now tn, say even twenty years ago in terms of understanding some of this stuff. Rome wasn’t built in a day

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 04/19/2003 - 1:41 AM

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My stepdaughter has a learning disability related to reading comprehension. I have sent her to be tested and she is at a 7th grade reading level and she is 23 yrs old. She has had some college, 2 years which were barely average, at best. She has the want to, but doesn’t seem to have the help she needs in tutoring or help on college campuses. Her father didn’t realize this problem in high school and it was really missed. I just want to do something to help her now. Are there any programs for adult reading for those with learning disabilities in the Indiana area?Any suggestions? Frustrated.

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