Articles
Dyslexia
Learning and growing is an essential part of every child’s life. It may come easier for some children, but for others that suffer from dyslexia, learning the basic functions of speech, letters, and words can be more difficult. Dyslexia is a type of lifelong learning disorder that consists of a child having serious and repetitive problems in a specific area of learning. Though dyslexia is a learning problem, it is not an issue with intelligence, hearing or vision. Children with dyslexia are just as smart as other children, but their brains process language differently.
There is no cure for dyslexia, but the right support can make a big difference in the lives of children who endure the challenges of this disorder. Sometimes dyslexia goes undiagnosed for years and is unrecognizable until adulthood; but it is never too late to seek help. Because different children can learn at different paces, it may be difficult to pinpoint if a child has dyslexia or is just taking a little longer than usual to grasp the concept being taught. This is why it is important to know the signs and symptoms.
Paying attention to patterns in children and knowing the signs of dyslexia is vital, because early intervention can play a role in developing skills to help children with this condition learn better. Symptoms of dyslexia are going to be more difficult to see before the child begins schooling, but there are still early clues that could indicate problems. The condition often makes itself known in the first couple of years when a child starts to learn how to read, which is why it’s common that teachers are some of the first to notice the problem.
Some signs of dyslexia in preschool-aged children include slow to develop spoken language, frequent mispronunciation of words, rhyming and repetition issues, trouble differentiating between letters and numbers, and being slow to connect letters and their sounds. Paying attention to most of the peers around your child and how receptive they are can be a guideline to determine if your child is possibly showing signs of dyslexia at an early age.
Once children start school, the signs of dyslexia may uncover themselves a little more than usual concerning sounds such as pinpointing individual sounds, sounding out words, and combining sounds to make words. Other signs deal with children trying to guess and memorize words instead of sounding out words when reading or difficulty remembering words even though they have read or written the words many times. If your child is having more trouble with reading or spelling than other children the same age, it could be an indication that they might have dyslexia.
While most children with dyslexia are diagnosed when they are young, some are not diagnosed until adolescence. Teenagers might have dyslexia if they skip over sounding certain letters in words, get many words wrong when reading aloud, avoid reading, prefer others to read, and have poor spelling and vocabulary. While some of these may be symptoms of dyslexia, it doesn’t mean they automatically have dyslexia. It is important that if you do have concerns of your child experiencing learning troubles such as these, that they are scheduled for a screening as soon as possible.
A family history of dyslexia or other learning disabilities increases the risk of having dyslexia. Earlier is better when it comes to diagnosis of dyslexia among children. Though many children are ready to learn reading by the time they enter kindergarten or first grade, children with dyslexia often show struggle by that time. When they are diagnosed early, they can get the help and support they need for reading, spelling, and learning skills. The assistance you seek can help many struggling children strengthen their educational activities, such as extra work in small groups at school, tutoring, and extra time to take tests. Support also helps in the long run with progressing rather than difficulties continuing into adulthood. If you have concerns about whether your child or teen is experiencing dyslexia, call to schedule an appointment with your pediatrician at Goldsboro Pediatrics.
Go to Archive