What is Dyslexia?
Reading is a skill that only humans possess and it’s extremely important in today’s world. Learning to read is one of the first things children are taught in elementary school. A child’s future educational success often depends on how well they can learn to read. Dyslexia is a condition that makes it hard for kids to learn how to break down words. Decoding is how well someone can read out loud correctly and smoothly. Kids with dyslexia have trouble sounding out words and recognizing common words just by looking at them. They also find reading smoothly and spelling difficult. However, it’s worth noting that they usually do not have any issues with speaking or nonverbal skills. Also important, it’s clear that this reading difficulty can’t be explained by lack of good educational opportunities or low intellectual ability.
What Causes Dyslexia?
Dyslexia, a difficulty in learning to read, can be passed down in families. However, the reading environment at home and the quality of teaching a child receives can greatly affect their reading abilities. Studies involving twins indicate that reading difficulties often run in families. More recent research has identified several small genes that play a role in the development of reading skills.
These genes impact several processes in the brain. They guide the movement of nerve cells, shape the structure of the cerebral cortex, influence the growth of nerve fibers, and affect the structure and function of tiny hair-like structures called cilia.
Risk Factors and Frequency for Dyslexia
Reading abilities vary widely among people and are strongly influenced by their level of education. Dyslexia, a condition that hinders reading proficiency, can be tricky to diagnose. It’s generally identified when a person’s reading accuracy falls 1.5 standard deviations below average. About 7% of people have dyslexia, with no particular racial or gender group more prone to it.
Signs and Symptoms of Dyslexia
Kids facing difficulty in reading show different symptoms based on their age. Spotting these problems early is key to helping them improve, as many kids who still have reading issues by third grade continue to struggle throughout their school years. Reading difficulties usually aren’t identified until kids have started learning to read formally, often in the first grade.
Preschoolers who might have trouble reading often struggle with:
- Difficulty with rhyming
- Mixing up words that sound alike
- Trouble with learning the names of letters
Kindergarteners and first graders who might have reading challenges often show symptoms like:
- Problems learning letters, which can be a major hint at reading ability
- Difficulties reading words and spelling by the end of first grade
Kids from second grade onward may display signs like:
- Doing poorly in school
- Not liking school
- Physical discomfort or stress during school time or before school work is due
Kids with reading disabilities often avoid reading. This can lead to less exposure to new words and worsen their reading abilities. When doctors examine kids with dyslexia, they look for any signs related to other neurological, medical, or genetic issues that might be causing the reading difficulties.
Testing for Dyslexia
Dyslexia can be identified from a young age, even as early as preschool. This opens up opportunities for intervention at a young age. There’s research showing that if a child has a family history of dyslexia, but is able to recognize and name letters at an early age, their risk of developing dyslexia significantly decreases. Similarly, 4.5 to 5.5-year-old children who struggle with naming letters, but have good sound and word recognition skills, also have a lower risk of being dyslexic. However, dyslexia is complex and factors into many different things. Kids who face language challenges at the end of preschool are at a high risk of dyslexia, making this the ideal time for effective screenings.
Children expected to have dyslexia should first have their hearing and vision checked. Lab tests or imaging aren’t usually needed unless a child’s medical history or physical exam indicates otherwise. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) may be used for research but it’s not used to diagnose dyslexia.
A child suspected to have dyslexia should be referred for an evaluation by their school. The school will assess their reading capability, executive functioning, and IQ. In the United States, these tests are free and often required before you can access certain services.
Treatment Options for Dyslexia
It’s very important for doctors to collaborate with parents, schools, and caregivers to identify children with dyslexia as early as possible. However, the majority of support and solutions for dyslexia occur at home and in school settings. Initial support will concentrate on enhancing vocabulary, understanding, and critical skills like phonics. As the child continues their education, the support shifts to improving the understanding of word meanings, enhancing reading comprehension, introducing more advanced reading, and providing strategies for success.
What else can Dyslexia be?
Many factors can contribute to a child’s difficulties in school. Here are some common causes:
- Hearing problems: Difficulty hearing clearly can affect learning.
- Vision problems: If seeing text or images isn’t easy, schoolwork can become difficult.
- Lack of education: This can occur due to lack of resources, too many absences from school, or poor teaching methods, all of which can hamper learning.
- Mental difficulties: Issues with cognitive abilities can make understanding and retaining information challenging.
- Learning disabilities: These are conditions that interfere with a child’s ability to learn at a typical rate.
- Exposure to harmful substances: For example, lead poisoning can seriously affect a child’s development and ability to learn.
- Family problems: A turbulent home environment can lead to emotional distress and impact a child’s focus and performance at school.
- Emotional disorders: Conditions such as anxiety or depression can affect a child’s ability to concentrate, learn, and perform well at school.
When a student struggles in school, it’s important to consider these potential causes so that appropriate interventions can be implemented.
What to expect with Dyslexia
Children who struggle with reading but receive help early on usually manage to develop average reading skills. Even kids with ongoing reading difficulties often become good at reading words related to topics they’re interested in. Studies over time have shown that reading problems do get better as kids get older, but they might still lag behind their peers a bit.
Possible Complications When Diagnosed with Dyslexia
There are several factors that can affect a child negatively, including:
- Poor performance in school
- A dislike for school
- Physical health problems
- Difficulty adapting socially
- Mental health issues such as anxiety and depression
Preventing Dyslexia
Working closely with schools and community resources is critical to ensure that the right support services are available for children with dyslexia. Parents need to understand how vital it is to detect and treat dyslexia early on. Parents should also know that if their child receives early intervention, the child can potentially catch up to their classmates in reading skills.
High-achieving students and those with high IQs may sometimes be overlooked. These students may also have dyslexia, but they manage to compensate in other areas, missing the opportunity for early intervention. This oversight can greatly affect their attitude towards education as reading becomes more challenging, and can impact their long-term learning ability.
If the child’s family or the healthcare provider remains concerned about the effectiveness of the school’s intervention, referral to a specialist might be necessary. These specialists can include developmental and behavioral pediatricians, child neurologists, psychologists, and neuropsychologists. However, it’s crucial to remember that not all health insurance plans may cover the cost of these specialists.
