What is Dyslexia? Depending on one’s exposure to this condition, or lack thereof, the response may be accurate or reflect one of the commonly held myths.
Some of the myths that one may have heard are that Dyslexia is a reading disorder caused by vision problems causing a child to read backwards or mix up the letters ‘b’, and ‘d’; that all children with Dyslexia cannot learn to read; that they all have the same problems with reading; or that the presence of Dyslexia is linked to a child’s level of intelligence.
The facts are that Dyslexia is a learning disability that affects either the ability to read or write; that affected children are impacted by different degree; that although the exact cause is unknown, possible risk factors could include family history, premature birth or low birth weight, exposure to substances during pregnancy or infection that may have altered brain development of the foetus.
Irrespective of the causes of Dyslexia, we must remember that all children learn and develop at their own pace. Mastery of the skills of writing and reading is a process that some children may find more difficult than others and hence take longer to become competent in. However, we need to recognise that there are parameters in which developmental goals should be achieved. If the educator has raised concern for, and you too have noticed the child’s poor progress and constant struggle with writing and reading, resulting in him/her falling behind his/her peers; it would be wise to approach a professional for an assessment to identify whether there is a barrier to learning that needs to be addressed.
An assessment and subsequent remedial programme will contribute to:
- Creating a supportive environment
- Developing tailored learning strategies
- Collaborating with educators
- Utilizing assistive technology
- Promoting self-esteem
Ultimately, we want to be able to nurture children’s interests and strengths, thereby helping them successfully reach their potential as learners.