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.