Dyslexia In Children

Categorized as a learning disability, dyslexia can be diagnosed in people of all levels of intelligence. It basically manifests itself in the form of a difficulty with written language and is visible more prominently while reading. A neurological difference, it arises from disparity in the processing of written and spoken language, by the brain of a person. While the exact causes of dyslexia have not been deciphered till date, the problem is not entirely incurable. It has nothing to do with the intellectual ability of the affected person and some extra time, attention and patience can go a long way in helping him/her overcome the problem. Let us know more about dyslexia in children.

Symptoms For Identifying Dyslexia In Kids

Categorized as a type of 'organic brain dysfunction', dyslexia is applied to children who prove to be slow learners or who do not tend to respond very well to a particular stimulus. Let us explore its symptoms in children.

A short attention span, of about 10-15 minutes only
Difficulty in learning spellings
Writing letters or numbers backwards
Finding it hard to follow multiple (say 2- or 3-step) instructions
Confusing left with right and vice-versa
Encountering problems in organizing himself/herself
Confusing similar-sounding words, like rat and cat
Little interest in words and letters
Mixing up directional words, like 'up' and 'down'
Finding it hard to put objects into a sequence
Jumbling up letters or whole words, such as saying 'felt' for 'left'
Encountering difficulties in Math
Persistent difficulties with reading
Inability to do even simple calculations in head, say as 2+2=4
Problems in dressing up or tying shoes
Confusing places, times and dates
Reading with poor comprehension
Poor and/or slow handwriting
Spelling words just as they sound
Constantly losing place while reading, say going from 2nd to 4th line
Reversal in reading or writing words, like writing 'b' for 'd'

Probable Causes of Dyslexia

Dyslexia can be genetic, not necessarily inherited from parents, it from anyone in the family.
Exposure to education at an early stage and other factors can prevent or hinder later learning.
Dyslexic children often use the right part of their brain, as they are unable to work with their left side properly. Relying on one side of the brain brings along learning problems.

Recommended Treatment

Train your child to read and write several times daily. This will exercise the brain to work in a proper way.
A proper diet is must. Include healthy food in your child's diet to help his/her brain function well.
Meet your child's teacher to develop a treatment plan that would focus on his/ her weaknesses, while utilizing the strengths.
Computer is also a very powerful tool in treating children with dyslexia, which should be utilized as much as possible.
Another important aspect in treating dyslexic children is attitude. They often get influenced by the attitude of adults around them. You have to be come across as positive and encouraging at all times.
Break the work increments into appropriate chunks, so that your child does not counter any problem in carrying out the same.
Give frequent breaks to avoid work pressure on children. At the same time, appreciate your child on his/ her efforts and achievements.
Try to make the subject more interesting and interactive, so as to keep the children involved.

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