Today in Scotland, eight babies with a learning disability will be born. That’s 3000 children a year, every year.
People who have a learning disability have a significant, lifelong condition that started before adulthood. This condition will affect the way that the person’s brain develops which means they may need help to:
- Understand information
- Learn skills
- Cope independently
Learning disabilities generally develop before a baby is born, during birth or because of a serious illness in early childhood. People with a learning disability find it harder than others understand, communicate and learn new things. There are many different types of learning disability.
Depending on the type of learning disability a person has they may need different types of support. People with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) need full-time support with every aspect of their lives - including eating, drinking, washing, dressing and personal care.