Dyslexia
What is dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a learning disorder in reading ability. It is characterized by a series of distortions and difficulties in reading, which are related to the way language is processed. It frequently manifests itself in children who do not present any physical, psychological or sociocultural handicap and its origin may be due to a neurodevelopmental disorder.
What are the symptoms?
The most frequent symptoms are substitutions, omissions or mixing of parts of words or whole words during reading, as well as slowness and difficulty in recognizing and understanding words and written texts. Also difficulties in distinguishing the alphabet, letters, realization of simple rhymes or in the analysis or classification of sounds.
Children with dyslexia can understand stories or oral speech correctly and in the vast majority of cases their level of intelligence is well within the normal range for their age. The symptoms of this disorder usually manifest themselves when children are in the early years of primary school. In addition, in many cases dyslexia is associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or dissocial disorder, among others.
Causes of dyslexia or why it occurs
Currently, there are no studies available to determine a specific cause. Specialists believe that the origin lies in a lack of the central nervous system to organize graphic symbols. Other studies see clues in genetics and the inheritance we receive from family members, the anatomy of the brain and the brain activity between the two hemispheres.
Can it be prevented?
Since there is no specific cause, measures to prevent this pathology cannot be established for the time being. Nevertheless, an early diagnosis will prevent a worsening and a rapid improvement of the language.
What is the treatment?
Once dyslexia has been diagnosed, a phonics specialist can help the child to reach a reading level appropriate to his or her age. Speech therapy to develop “phonemic awareness” will stimulate the ability to hear and use letter sounds and letter combinations. Another recommended method is educational therapy in which the child is taught to develop strategies to resolve difficulties and manage frustration.