Dyslexia

What is Dyslexia?

"According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, dyslexia is a learning disability  that can hinder a person's ability to read, write, spell, and sometimes speak" (MedicineNet.com). Dyslexia is very common among children, and can actually persist throughout life meaning into adulthood. The sooner dyslexia is treated the better the results are going to be for children. However, it is never too late to receive treatment in order to improve language skills. Children with dyslexia have difficulty learning to read and write due to their brains inability to translate images through hearing and seeing into comprehensible language. With this being said, dyslexia is not caused by hearing or visual problems, and it is not caused by mental retardation, brain damage, or lack of intelligence. 

What are the signs of a child potentially having Dyslexia?

• Letter and number reversals are the most common warning sign.
• Difficulty copying from the board or a book.
• Not being able to remember content, even if it was from a favorite book or video.
• Issues with spatial relationships.
• Difficulty with organized sports or games.
• Challenges to understand the difference between left and right.
• Problems moving to rhythm of music.

Parents, what should you do if you think your child may have Dyslexia?

It is important to consult your pediatrician if you are worried about your child's development. In addition, having frequent meetings with your child's teacher to follow up on their academic development is also very important. Every school should have a special group often referred to as the Child Study Team that meet to discuss issues concerning student's academic achievement. These teams consist of school psychologist, nurse, speech therapist, reading specialist, and other pertinent professionals including the principal, special and general education teachers. If a parent or teacher suspects a learning problem they are responsible of reporting their concerns to the Child Study Team where they will discuss an approach to help the child learn in the classroom.  

MedicineNet.com. (n.d.). Retrieved April 16, 2009, from www.medicinenet.com/dyslexia/article.htm.