Dyslexia

What is Dyslexia?

Learning disability or commonly known as Dyslexia is a well-established neurodevelopmental disorder and is present in a child since birth.

How commonly do you see Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is estimated to be present in 10% of all school-going children. It is seen in boys as well as girls.

What causes Dyslexia?

It may manifest at any time depending on various factors such as academic exposure, environmental stimulation, potential of the child etc. It is known to run in families and a genetic basis has been suspected as one of the causes. No clear cause is identified but any minor insult to the growing brain during pregnancy, birth or even later may lead to learning problems later on.

What are the types of Learning Disability?

Learning Disability consists of three distinct types, Dysgraphia (difficulty in writing), Dyscalculia (difficulty in arithmetic) and Dyslexia (difficulty in reading).

How does Dyslexia present?

The presentation of children with dyslexia is varied. Children may have various combinations of academic and behavioral problems that make each child with dyslexia unique. Since it is a hidden handicap it may go undetected. A child who is otherwise bright and is able to perform well in other spheres of life does badly in school. The child shows very salient but definitive social adjustment problems if not helped earlier. Most of the children exhibit academic problems by the fourth and fifth standard or even earlier.

What are the pointers of Dyslexia?

The child shows reading problems whereby he may hate reading aloud or may not read at all or reads with finger tracing. Usually, his oral performance is much better than the written work. The child may show a lot of spelling errors and slow and inadequate written output. Most of the children just dislike writing. There may be significant problems in mathematics including understanding basic concepts, learning of tables and sequencing.

If my child does not study, what do I do?

An eye checkup and audiogram is required to check the vision and hearing of the child. A detailed evaluation of the child including the Intelligence Quotient (IQ) along with educational assessment helps to understand the child better. In the city of Mumbai this kind of help is available for evaluation of learning problems in various guidance and counseling centers.