Dyslexia is not used as a term within diagnosis, except as part of a 
spectrum of behaviours liable to make academic learning challenging. 
Dyslexia means you have a specific learning disability - what the 
precise nature of that disability is, is then discussed in terms of 
support required, rather than a concrete term of understanding of what 
the problem is.: there are no 'labels'.  (Do note irony is at play here)

"Mild learning difficulties" may include what would be commonly referred 
to as dyslexia, in other areas, but would also include dyspraxia and 
agnosia and a range of visual or auditory processing conditions.  This 
is because funding for help in schools, is keyed to the needs of the 
individual, rather than a blanket statement of any one condition.  
Therefore all assessments are made about a spectrum of needs and 
requirements, as opposed to a 'definition'. 

"Mild learning difficulties" describes someone who was slow to progress 
at school, and required some sort of support.  What the support would 
have been, would have been individual, so there is no way of knowing.

This mother was perfectly functioning within her family and school, and 
social environment.   She was engaged in a responsible and family 
supported relationship with a perfectly responsible and hard working 25 
year old partner.  She had, however, been raised by her grandmother, not 
her parents, and therefore was a client of Fife Social Services as a 
child in her own name.  Thus, when she fell pregnant and arranged to 
marry at 17 years old, with the full and happy consent and backing of 
her close family, her social worker was involved.  From hence, the 
cascade of interventions began.  The first intervention was the social 
worker referring the mother to a psychologist (an educational 
psychologist I believe) who determined that the 17 didn't understand the 
magnitude of what the marriage contract meant and social workers thus 
forbade the marriage 48 hours before hand.  Show me anyone under 25, who 
truly understands the magnitude of what a marriage contract meant, and 
I'll show you someone who was painfully involved in a divorce.  In my 
experience, very few people understand what marriage is.

If this mother had not been raised by her grandmother, these events 
would not have occurred, as she would not have had her own social worker 
to tick boxes on what the social workers was liable for on her shift.

The mother concerned was also working with children in day care 
settings, as part of her educational training, according to reports.  
This is part of a wonderful UK scheme, whereby young girls are trained 
as day care workers, and paid minimum wage, to care for the children of 
mothers who would like to stay at home and raise them, but have been 
forced back to work in order to prove they are valuable and contributing 
members of society.  There are legions of 16, 17 and 18 year old girls 
in the UK, training to be childcare workers in low paid jobs in vast 
Nurseries.  Many of them have mild learning disabilities, so they're not 
off to University, where the rest are packed in like cattle, regardless 
of their skills, aptitude or inclination.

As Ireland has shown, if you have a mother who you need to be very sure 
about, you allow for them to be kept together, and actually watch the 
mothering.  Heaven forfend!  How primitive of Ireland!  Quite quite 
shocking, that just actually watching a mother hold her newborn might 
give a clue that she can spot the child's needs and take care of the 
child!  Honestly, the damage done to children as they grow up in a 
loving home but realise Mum hasn't got a degree, and needs things 
explained twice sometimes, is so severe, you can see how putting them in 
care is the better option.

So, the term 'mild learning difficulty' cannot encompass any condition 
that would imply the child or adult wasn't capable of functioning 
adequately in society but may need some support.  The next step up would 
be "moderate" and then "severe".  Otherwise, you'd be looking to an 
actual name of a condition.  It can encompass dyslexia, but equally it 
does not make dyslexia automatic.  Like I said, the support required is 
the crucial aspect, and that's how long is a piece of string.  So if you 
self-identify as dyslexic, you're dyslexic - otherwise you have a 
learning difficulty.

What is clear, is that the mother could get the baby to her breast, 
argue back with social workers and knew what way round the nappy/baby 
dynamic occurred. Again, how primitive of Ireland to allow her to touch 
her own baby.  Shocking.

Morgan Gallagher

(Who has a moderate to severe learning disability, as the level of my 
own dyslexia is profound.  I also have a first class honours, a Masters 
and quite a bit of a PhD.  This can mean that some people trust me to be 
able to read, even between the lines.)


Developmental Jamelle Lyons wrote:
> This is a horrible situation. I am so relieved to read that they are reunited. But I have a question for native speakers of British English. THe woman is refered to as having "learning difficulties". I have also seen the term "learning disability" used.  In American English,  she would be refered to as " mentally disabled" or "intelectually challenged". The terms learning difficulties and learning disabitities refer to individuals with normal intelligence, but some problem with a certain area, such as dyslexia, etc.  
>
> My question is, what do the Brits call someone with dyslexia (besides dyslexic)?
>
> Thanks,
> jamelle
>
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