My Learning Disability

Apparently yesterday was Blogging Against Disablism Day 2013. I've been meaning to use this to talk about my experience of having a learning disability. So, I was diagnosed with some kind of learning disability when I was six, and not learning to read, and more specifically with an auditory processing disorder in my teens. (My friend who studies neuropsychology says that this a popular diagnosis these days, but I've never met someone else with a auditory processing disorder.)

So mostly it isn't a big deal but here are some ways it effects my life:

I can't spell very well, and I am not great a punctuation. I'm very lucky to live in the era of spellcheck, but I also make sure a real human prof-reads all my papers.

I can't listen and write at the same time, which makes it very hard for me to take notes in class. I mostly compensate for this one by just having a very good memory.

I'm tone deaf and I can't carry a tune.

I can't work with too much background noise -- especially people talking. If I'm watching TV or listening to a pod-cast I can't also read something at the same time. I can't listen to music while I work.

In fact I generally just don't listen to music, so if people ask me what type of music I like there tends to be a rather awkward pause.

If there is too much noise (especially conservations) my brain just kind of shuts down. I don't do well in noisy bars or at big parties.

I do get accommodations, mostly extra time on tests, and in theory a distraction free room to take the test in. (The rooms vary in distraction level.) Generally each new educational institution wants to have new evaluation done. Since I've had about five done already I don't see why they all feel a need to check.

Anyways that's about it. Have a learning disability is for me is mostly something that is just in the background of my life. It effects my day to day existence but I'm used to it, and it feels normal to me.