A 14-year-old boy has difficulty expressing himself in writing and makes frequent spelling mistakes, does not follow instruction and cannot wait for his turn while playing a game. He is likely to be suffering from –
Learning disability (LD) is defined as a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, which may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, speak, read, write, spell or to do mathematical calculations.
Learning disability is suspected when there is unexpected underachievement in adequate educational settings.
The DSM-IV defines three academic skill specific learning disorders.


Reading disorder
Mathematic disorder
Disorder in written expression


Another subtyping is language-based LD commonly known as dyslexia (problem in reading, spelling and written expression) and nonverbal LD (deficits in arthmetic and spacial cognition).
Dyslexia is the most common type of learning disability.
Children with dyslexia have a problem in reading, spelling and written expression.
The important clues to dyslexia in school-age children include delayed language, trouble rhymic words, mispronunciation, hesitation, word-finding difficulties and poor spellings with the presence of letter reversal. Reading is slow, inaccurate and laboured.



Coming back to question, the child has


Difficulty in expressing himself in written (a problem in written expression)
Makes spelling mistakes (a problem in spelling).


Both these are manifestations of dyslexia, a specific learning disability.
Mental retardation
Lack of interest in studies
Specific learning disability
Examination anxiety