Understanding Dyslexia

October is Dyslexia Awareness Month. Dyslexia is a Learning Disability that affects the ability to read, write or spell as the affected person finds it difficult to relate sounds with letters that make the sound. It is a neurological condition without a cure.

Dyslexia is one of the most common learning disorder that causes reading disability as it affects those areas of the brain that process language.
People with dyslexia find it difficult to understand letters or to visualize a word or sound, making it difficult for them to understand a language. This in turns hampers their learning and writing ability as well.

People and children with dyslexia have normal intelligence and vision and can excel in many other fields in their lives.

Causes

In most cases, Dyslexia has been found to be a disorder passed on by family. It is linked to certain genes that affect the processing ability of the brain when it comes to skills like reading and language. It can also be caused due to environmental factors such as premature birth or low birth weight, exposure to toxins.

Effects

The severity of dyslexia is not the same and varies from person to person. Some of the commonly found effects of dyslexia are

• Reading very slowly
• Difficulty in writing and processing information.
• Incorrect pronunciation.
• Memory related issues

Symptoms & Diagnoses

The disorder of dyslexia can be identified once the child is introduced to the skills of reading and writing or enters school. In most cases, teachers should be able to realize the problem when the child shows difficulty in reading and writing the texts.

Dev Mehta is a parent of child with learning disorder and hyperactivity. He feels teachers and schools need to be better informed and supportive as they can make a huge difference in life of these children.

“Schools are not very supportive for children with disorders. Not enough is being done to make the education in the country inclusive despite the laws. Children with slow learning abilities need to be treated with patience to help them realize their potentials. Comparison with other children should be avoided.”Dev Mehta also said.

Here are some symptoms that can indicate the presence of dyslexia

• Difficulty in reading and understanding written word
• Strained writing and reading activities.
• Frequent spelling and pronunciation mistakes.
• Avoiding activities such as reading aloud
• Unable to learn a new language
• Memory related issues.
• Inability to solve math problems

Cure

There is no definite cure for dyslexia and it is a lifelong condition. However, coping strategies and learning techniques can help overcome the symptoms to some extent.

Early intervention is very crucial for children with LDs. Once the disorder is identified, parents and educators can take the remedial actions as per the requirement of the child.
In absence of a diagnoses, the child may be treated with discrimination, bias and considered lazy and careless.

Most times, class rooms have too many students and teachers can hardly focus on one particular child. This can cause a delay in identifying the learning disorders. Early identification can ensure that the child is given the required help in time. Rekha Verma, Parent of child with LD.

Timely assistance can go a long way in helping the child learn to live with the disorder and work on areas of strengths and weaknesses.

Affection and patience from loved ones can improve the condition of the child and make them confident enough to lead their lives with dignity.

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