Health&Wellness Magazine August 2014 | Page 20

20 & August 2014 | Read this issue and more at www.healthandwellnessmagazine.net | By Jamie Lober Most people think of dyslexia as a language-based learning disability but know little else about it. “Essentially it means reading troubles, but it is actually a spectrum where you can have little bits of it or a lot, and it comes down to whether or not you have enough of the symptoms to become debilitative,” says Aaron Zink, organizational psychologist and owner/director at Learning Rx Lexington South. Having dyslexia can impact a person’s ability to spell, write or pronounce words. However, it is not unusual for kids to reverse letters before the age of seven so you should wait to see if the problem persists. Zink cautions, “Most people will switch their lowercase b’s and e’s around but that just means they have one symptom. It does not mean they have dyslexia.” The International Dyslexia Association lists common problems associated with the condition as learning to speak; organizing written and spoken language; learning letters and their sounds; memorizing number facts; spelling; reading; learning a foreign language; and correctly doing math problems. The causes of dyslexia are both neurobiological and genetic. Furthermore, not all dyslexia is the same. “With developmental dyslexia you start noticing things fairly early like reading troubles and slipping s’s, b’s and d’s,” says Zink. He explains that dyslexia is a condition that is out of someone’s control, particularly developmental dyslexia where “the brain is not utilizing the specific areas that are necessary for reading.” The good news is that it can be managed, often through providing a reader for the child or giving them extra time on tests. Cognitive training can also be beneficial. “Basically cognitive training isolates certain areas of the brain and makes the student work those areas,” says Zink. “A lot of people take their child to be tested for special needs or special education because they are having such a hard time reading or spelling but with dyslexia, people generally test above average on IQ tests as long as they do not have to read it.” If parents suspect their child may be dyslexic, it is important to get to the root of the issue since a child may have more than one learning or behavioral disability. While disabilities may co-occur it is important to remember that one is not the cause of the other and your child is not to blame. Studies showed that as many as 50 percent of those diagnosed with learning or reading difference are also diagnosed with ADHD. There is no one testing measure that is used to detect dyslexia; a variety of tests can be used and are perfectly acceptable but they should have some similarities such that they need to be gathering data in areas like expressive oral language, expressive written language, receptive oral language, receptive written language, intellectual functioning, cognitive processing and educational achievement. It is best if a psychologist or educational specialist performs the test. It is important to reach out for help but at the same time recognize that Like us @healthykentucky dyslexia is a lifelong challenge and not just a temporary developmental delay. “Early intervention does make a difference because someone is going to struggle with reading until the problem is fixed,” says Zink. If kids get appropriate phonological training in kindergarten and first grade, they will do better at reading at grade level compared to kids who are not identified or assisted until the third grade. Research reveals that programs using multisensory structured language techniques can assist both kids and adults with reading. Other strategies include taping lectures in school instead of taking notes, listening to books on tape instead of reading them, and using computer programs to check spelling and grammar. Sometimes a speech therapist or a tutor can be helpful. The quality of treatment can make a big difference in prognosis. There is no reason for children with dyslexia to feel isolated. Zink notes that most of the time, “they are in regular classrooms and usually of above average intelligence.” Actor and comedian Whoopi Goldberg and actor Tom Cruise are just two examples of the many highly successful people with dyslexia. As long as the condition is addressed, it is not a setback and people can do well. For more information, visit the International Dyslexia Association at http://www.interdys.org/. Are You Injured? Are You Disabled? WE CAN HELP Auto Accident Injuries Motorcycle Accidents Nursing Home Neglect Social Security Disability Work Injuries / Comp. Tractor Trailer Accidents Wrongful Death Cases Personal Injury Cases Long-Term Disability Immigration