What Is It?
Dyslexia is a disorder which affects the acquisition of literacy skills. Arithmetic may also be affected.
Dyslexia can also be called a specific learning difficulty, a learning disability, a learning disorder.
What Causes It?
Research shows that in a significant number of cases, there is an hereditary component. The disorder itself is thought to be caused by irregularities in the way in which the brain processes information.
How is it Diagnosed?
It is recognised by a discrepancy between apparent intelligence, and ability to read, spell, write and do arithmetic.
Until recently dyslexia could only be diagnosed by a psychological assessment undertaken by a registered psychologist with training and expertise in the area. Now there are specific dyslexia assessments available that special educators may use to diagnose dyslexia and ability assessments that do not require psychological registration. The positive of having an educational assessment rather than a psychological one is that specific teacher oriented recommendations may be made for the dyslexic student.
What Are The Main Different Types?
Broadly speaking there are two main types, although many dyslexics have a mixed profile.
The majority of dyslexic difficulties are caused by problems in the language area eg., a phonological disorder, where difficulties are experienced in processing sequences of sounds within words. Auditory (listening) memory is also often affected. A smaller group of dyslexics seem to have visual problems, where they find it difficult to remember the appearance of words, or get confused about the sequence.
Most dyslexia’s are developmental, that is they first become evident during childhood, and seem to be intrinsic to the individual. A small group of dyslexics have “acquired dyslexia”, which is caused by brain injury.
Who Is At Risk?
As there is an hereditary component in dyslexia, children and adults who have family members already diagnosed with dyslexia are at risk.
Dyslexia is often a language based learning difficulty, and children who are late in learning to talk, or who have difficulties with speech at an early age are seen as a high risk group.
Implications
Children who have family members already diagnosed or suspected of having dyslexia do need to be monitored carefully. Similarly children who are late learning to talk, or who have early difficulties with language are also seen as needing special attention.
Given that many dyslexics do not have a family history or any speech and language problems, any child who is seen to be falling behind their class mates at an early age should be carefully assessed.
What Can be Done?
There is an extensive research background, on intervention for dyslexics. All acceptable, and proven intervention methods involve specialised, high quality teaching over an extended period of time.
The research evidence is also very strongly supportive of the importance of early intervention. Although dyslexics, of whatever age can be helped, it is important where possible, to identify dyslexia as soon as possible, so that appropriate intervention can begin early in a child’s schooling.
Any treatment methods claiming to “cure” dyslexia should be viewed with serious caution. Always check with a registered psychologist with expertise in the area of learning disorders, if you are in any doubt.
Services Available
Dyslexia Information Service offers psychological assessments for children and adults, suspected of having dyslexia. Talks are given to groups of professionals, or parents on the topic of dyslexia and associated subjects.
* Source : Dyslexia Information Service
