Hello, welcome to the NHS Lothian Learning Disability Service. On this site you will find:
- Contact information for Health Services within NHS Lothian for people with a Learning Disability
- Simple health care advice and helpful resources to support work with people with a learning disability
- Links to relevant guidelines and legislation
What is a learning disability?
‘Learning disability’ is an umbrella term covering many different intellectual disabilities. It means that a person’s capacity to learn is affected and that they may not learn things as quickly as other people. Sometimes a learning disability is called an intellectual disability.
A learning disability is not an illness. Some people with a learning disability also experience mental health problems such as depression, but they are not the same thing.
People usually have a learning disability from birth or sometimes from early childhood. Although it is a permanent condition, people with a learning disability can and do learn and develop with the right sorts of support from other people.
How do learning disabilities vary?
Learning disabilities are often categorised as mild, moderate or severe. People with a learning disability vary a great deal in the help they may need in meeting their basic needs.
To summarise – a learning disability is:
A significant, lifelong condition that started before adulthood, that affected all aspects of the person’s development and which means that they need help to:
- Understand information
- Learn skills
- Cope independently
