Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty that affects children’s abilities in reading, writing, and spelling. It is not influenced by the child’s intelligence level. Many children diagnosed with this disorder have normal intelligence and receive proper education and parental support, yet they still struggle with certain learning skills.
The exact causes of this disorder are not fully understood, but it is believed by some to be hereditary. For example, if parents have dyslexia, there is a 40% chance that their children may also be affected. It occurs equally among males and females.
Genetic studies indicate that a number of inherited genes may cause the condition, resulting in issues with brain development and maturity—specifically in the cortical areas related to language, according to MedicineNet.
A small percentage of dyslexia cases are acquired after birth, usually due to brain injury, stroke, or some other type of trauma.
In his book The Psychology of Dyslexia, Dr. Ahmed Abdel Karim Hamza states that children with dyslexia may actually show notable academic strengths. In the United States, 15% of school children are affected by this condition. The Department of Education reported that around two million adults are essentially illiterate due to the lifelong persistence of the disorder.
According to the University of Michigan Health System, dyslexia is the most common learning difficulty, with around 80% of students with learning difficulties affected by it.
Symptoms
The child’s reading performance is far below their mental age and school level.
No signs of hearing or vision impairments, or brain damage.
Great difficulty remembering whole-word patterns and learning through visual methods.
Difficulty distinguishing between small, similarly shaped words.
Weak performance in reading aloud.
Delayed language development in early childhood.
Problems recognizing differences between similar sounds or segmented words.
Slow to learn new words.
Difficulty copying from the board or a book.
May not recall content even if it’s from a video or favorite storybook.
Trouble participating in structured games.
Reads words and letters in reverse.
Difficulty remembering or understanding what they hear, or expressing what they want.
Difficulty remembering sequences or more than one instruction at a time.
Skips parts of words or entire sentences; may read words in a funny or strange way.
Complains of dizziness, headaches, or stomachaches during reading.
Stutters when trying to read under pressure.
Difficulty telling or managing time or learning tasks in sequential order.
Relies on counting with fingers for math, even though they may know the answer verbally.
Can count but struggles with calculating or dealing with money and tables.
Has strong long-term memory for experiences, places, and faces, but weak memory for sequences, facts, or unexperienced information.
Struggles to remember days of the week, months of the year, and colors.
May act as the class clown, troublemaker, or be extremely quiet.
May suffer from low self-esteem and strained relationships with peers or siblings.
Without early detection, psychological issues may develop such as introversion, depression, isolation, and lack of confidence.
May have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) compared to other children.
Treatment
This disorder is usually identified in elementary school, though symptoms may appear at any age and often manifest in early childhood. Children with dyslexia may learn to crawl, walk, talk, or ride a bike later than their peers.
About 95% of cases can be treated if they receive effective help early on. There are many specialized educational methods available. Children with dyslexia who receive phonetic training in kindergarten or first grade will likely face far fewer challenges in learning to read than those who don’t receive help until the third grade.
A psychiatrist or neurologist is the best professional to diagnose dyslexia, in addition to a pediatrician or educational psychologist.-
At Home
Children with dyslexia may need extra tutoring and a private teacher to improve their reading skills, or join group sessions with others who have similar difficulties. However, psychological consultation is essential to help them build self-confidence.
The role of parents at home is just as important as psychological and medical support. Parents should help the child read by simplifying tasks—asking them to identify just one new letter or word at a time. Once the child fully masters the first letter, the parents can then teach the next one. Repetition is key, and training sessions should be kept short to allow the child time to absorb new skills effectively.-
