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Dyslexia is a learning disability that affects many children, and parents can often find it difficult to understand and manage. This guide aims to provide parents with a better understanding of dyslexia, so they can better support their child. It covers the signs and symptoms of Dyslexia, as well as strategies for helping children with dyslexia in the classroom and at home. By being aware of the issues associated with dyslexia, parents can work with their child’s teachers and other professionals to ensure that their child gets the help they need to succeed. With the right approach, parents can help their child to reach their full potential, no matter what challenges they may face.
What is dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that affects how people perceive the world. People with dyslexia have difficulties with the accurate processing of language and letters, which often impacts their ability to learn through reading. This means that children with dyslexia often have difficulties with spelling, writing, and reading fluency, and may have problems with conceptual thinking as well.
There are many different types of dyslexia; the most common include:
• Reading dyslexia: Individuals with reading dyslexia have problems with accurate word recognition. Reading dyslexic people may read words correctly but have difficulties putting them together into words or sentences.
• Writing dyslexia: Individuals with writing dyslexia have problems with accurate letter sequencing. This often shows up as mistypes of letters (e. With the co., tt., and) or spelling (“bud” becomes “dud”).
• Dysgraphia: Individuals with dysgraphia have problems with the misspelt accurate copying of letters and words. This often shows up as writing words backwards, drawing letters incorrectly, or making mistakes in drawing a line between letters.
Signs and symptoms of dyslexia
Dyslexia can have a variety of symptoms, and they can vary depending on the severity of a child’s condition. Children who have mild dyslexia might not show any symptoms at all, and children with severe dyslexia might experience difficulties in many different areas of their life. Because dyslexia is a complex condition, there are no clear-cut signs that a child has it. The best way to know if your child has dyslexia is to talk to your child’s teachers and see if they notice any of the following issues: - Difficulty with spelling, or a preference for certain letters over others; this might be why your child consistently gets misspelled words wrong, or why they consistently choose to use a certain letter instead of its neighbour.
• Difficulty reading and understanding what is written; this might be why you have to read out loud to your child, or why they frequently have reading difficulties at school.
• Difficulty with spelling out loud, or when copying a text out longhand.
• Difficulty reading and understanding graphs and other types of visual information.
Diagnosis of dyslexia
Dyslexia is a specific learning disability, which means that it is identified through a series of specific tests. The diagnosis is made by a team of specialists, and the most common method is through the reading component of the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT). Other tests include the Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests IV and the Woodcock Reading Tests. While these can be helpful in making a diagnosis, they are not always reliable, so it is important to talk to your child’s teachers and see if they notice any of these issues.
Dyslexia is more common in boys than girls, and it is estimated that around 10 per cent of the population have it. Children with dyslexia might notice that they have difficulties as early as they are one year old, but they might not realise what it is. They might be able to compensate for their weaknesses, so they do not notice as much. A child with dyslexia might compensate for their weak spelling by reading faster, for example. If the weaknesses continue throughout their school career, they might be identified as having dyslexia.
Causes of dyslexia
Dyslexia is caused by a number of factors, including:
• Genetics: Children who have dyslexia often have a family member with it as well. This suggests that dyslexia is often caused by a combination of genes and environment.
• Environmental factors: Dyslexia might also be caused by special needs that are not related to genetics. Children might be born with a weak brain structure, or they might experience brain damage during birth or at some point between birth and age three.
• Inadequate early intervention: If a child with dyslexia is not identified and treated early enough, they might experience long-term problems in the areas of learning and social skills. This might mean that the child is unable to go to school, get a job, form relationships, and so on.
• Lack of motivation: Children with dyslexia might have other issues that affect their motivation, including low self-esteem, issues in the family, or other emotional factors.
Strategies for helping children with dyslexia in the classroom
There are a number of strategies that you can use to help your child with dyslexia in the classroom:
• Find out what help is available: It is important to find out about the support that is available in your area, so you can make the most of it. There may be a dyslexia specialist at the local school, or there may be a local support group for parents of children with dyslexia.
• Communicate with your child’s teachers: It is important to communicate with your child’s teachers, to let them know what support you need and to get it.
• Provide your child with a quiet place to study: It can be frustrating when your child has trouble reading, and they might not even know that they have dyslexia.
• Use a quiet and calming colour scheme in the home: It can be helpful to use quiet and calming colours at home, to help your child feel calmer when they are studying.
• Make sure your child gets plenty of sleep: It is important to help your child get enough sleep because it can help to compensate for their weak areas. It can be hard to study when you have to take care of a child who is not well-rested.
Strategies for helping children with dyslexia at home
It can be helpful for a child with dyslexia to read out loud to them or to have them help with household chores. Reading aloud can help to break down words, and it can help improve the attention span of a child who is often distracted by other thoughts.
It can also be helpful for a child with dyslexia to have a quiet and calm place to study. It can be helpful to have a place where the lighting is dim or where there is no noise so that your child can focus better.
It can be helpful for a child with dyslexia to have a quiet and calming colour scheme in their room or to have a quiet fan set on a low speed to help the room stay calm.
Conclusion
Dyslexia is a common learning difference that’s best treated with intervention and support in school and at home. It can be difficult for parents to understand the signs and symptoms of dyslexia, especially if they have a different skill set than their child’s teachers and other professionals. These resources will help parents get the most out of their support system, by working with their family doctor and school to help their child succeed.
If you or someone you know struggles with dyslexia, Cognifit may be an excellent solution to help them improve their skills and boost their confidence. Try it today and see the difference it can make!
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