Dyslexia is a learning disorder, and forms, together with other similar disorders such as dysgraphia or dyscalculia, the most frequent learning disorders in childhood and adolescence. The origin of dyslexia is genetic, and it develops as a consequence of alterations in the general maturational process of the areas involved in learning to read and write. The most frequent association is that of dyslexia and ADHD, which can occur in up to 30% of cases.
When does dyslexia appear?
Dyslexia is a condition or pathology with which one is born and in many cases has a family history in parents and other generations. However, dyslexia does not become evident until the child reaches the age when he/she should start writing and reading, although indicators such as errors in the steps of an activity, language problems… can be seen before that.
How do you know if someone has dyslexia?
To definitively diagnose dyslexia, a series of factors must be taken into account.
- Coexistence of other pathologies
- Determination of suspicion factors
- IQ assessment
- Investigation of the complete profile
Coexistence of other pathologies with dyslexia
There is another group of neurodevelopmental disorders that can cause reading and writing problems, whether dyslexia exists or not. If we do not take them into account when planning the evaluation and order of the tests, we can obtain totally false results.
In fact, children with ADHD present problems such as attention, impulsivity and hyperactivity that usually affect learning. Therefore, before assessing the existence of dyslexia, it is essential to take into account the possibility of ADHD influencing these aspects. With the free guide “My child has learning and/or behavioral problems, why? What do I do to solve it?” you can see the concrete steps to take in these situations to have answers to your questions and to know the path to follow to achieve solutions and results without wasting time.
Is the treatment of dyslexia the same for adults and children?
In order to treat dyslexia, it is necessary to focus on the situation of each individual. The keys to treating dyslexia are as follows:
- There is no pharmacological treatment for dyslexia, but there is for other situations such as ADHD, often associated with dyslexia.
- It is common to need treatment with one or more specialists, such as speech therapists, educational psychologists and neuropediatricians.
- Specific adaptations can be made at school depending on the needs.
- It is necessary to work on aspects such as phonological awareness, phonics and decoding.
- Working from home
What advice would you give to the relatives of a child or adult with dyslexia?
It is important to be clear about the fundamental aspects of dyslexia. Starting from this:
- Don’t wait for problems to resolve themselves.
- Detect the cause of the learning problems early.
- Assess the situation in an organized way.
- Collaborate with the school and work from home.
For more information on dyslexia, consult a specialist in pediatrics.