If your sibling is learning disabled, it doesn’t necessarily mean that your children will be learning disabled. That may depend on the cause of your sibling’s learning disability. Was the LD caused by a random chromosomal abnormality, hereditary, or a physical outside source?

If your sibling’s LD was caused by a random chromosomal abnormality then you don’t have to worry about passing it on to your offspring. You cannot pass it on, however your LD sibling has a fifty-fifty chance of passing the mutation on to your nieces or nephews, according to Anne Ford's new book, "On Their Own."

If an outside physical force caused your sibling’s LD then you cannot pass it on to your offspring. For example, if your sibling’s LD was caused by trauma during birth, trauma after birth, a disease contracted during pregnancy, or the consumption of lead paint or other life altering substance, then there is no genetic source for you to pass on to your children.

However, if you have a family history of learning disabilities, then you could pass LD on to your offspring, even if you do not have LD. Learning disabilities, including ADHD seem to run in families. If you have siblings, cousins, or other relatives with learning disabilities then the reality is, your offspring might have a learning disability.

In her book, "On Their Own," Anne Ford tells us that

an article in the British Medical Journal estimates that 40 percent of all moderate to severe learning disabilities and 70 percent of mild developmental delay [sic] cannot be traced to a specific cause. The Journal further estimates that between 30 percent and 50 percent of undiagnosed learning disabilities are genetic in origin.

Related Blogs
Lifetime Adoption – When Your Learning Disabled Child Grows Up
Disabilities or Differences – Pick a Title for the Challenged Child
Smothering Your Friends - A Characteristic of Learning Disability

Photo of the book is a scan of Anne Ford’s newest book, “On Their Own,” “Creating an Independent Future for Your Adult Child with Learning Disabilities and ADHD,” A Family Guide.
Publication Date: May 7, 2007 Newmarket Press