DYSLEXIA-LEARNING DISABILITIES IN CHILDREN.

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Learning disabilities arise from specific neurodevelopmental dysfunctions that prevent expected learning in one or more academic areas. The important defining principle is that such disabilities are unexpected when considering the overall intellectual functioning of the child.

These disorders are not the result of global developmental delay, major vision or hearing handicap or consequences of major social or emotional stress.

Dyslexia constitutes 80% of all cases. Others are dysgraphia (difficulty in writing), reading comprehension difficulty (inability to comprehend what is read) and dyscalculia (difficulty in performing mathematical operations).

Dyslexia
Definitions

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke definition describes dyslexia as "difficulty with phonological processing (the manipulation of sounds), spelling, and/or rapid visual-verbal responding".

The British Dyslexia Association definition describes dyslexia as "a learning difficulty that primarily affects the skills involved in accurate and fluent word reading and spelling" and is characterized by "difficulties in phonological awareness, verbal memory and verbal processing speed.

DAM 5, the manual of psychiatric diagnosis used in the United States, does not specifically define dyslexia, Instead it includes dyslexia in a category called specific learning disorders.

U.S. National Institutes of Health, define it specifically as a learning disorder.

To sum up
It is a receptive language-based learning disability that is characterized by difficulties with decoding, fluent word recognition, and/ or reading comprehension skills.

Word decoding is the ability to apply principles of phonetics to sound the words, i.e. understanding that each letter or letter combination in the word has a sound and by combining these, the word can be read and spelled.

Secondary consequences include reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary, written expression and background knowledge.

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Dyslexic children read very slowly and make many mistakes in reading. They also have difficulty in spelling because of underlying problem with word decoding.
 The difficulty in reading impairs their ability to cope up with the academic syllabus and is often associated with low self-confidence and feeling of frustration, which increases the risk of developing *psychological and emotional problems*.
One potential sign of dyslexia is when kids avoid reading, both out loud and to themselves. Kids may even get anxious or frustrated when reading. This can happen even after they’ve mastered the basics of reading.

Listening comprehension is typically normal in the affected children

It’s important to know that while dyslexia impacts learning, it’s not a problem of intelligence. Kids with this issue are just as smart as their peers. Many people have struggled with dyslexia and gone on to have successful careers. That includes a long list of actors, entrepreneurs and elected officials.

Associated Conditions
Dyslexia may co-exist with ADHD in 15-40% of children.other conditions include, Auditory processing defect (APD), Visual processing issues, Executive function isuue etc.

CAUSES
Genetic factors are recognized to play a strong role in the etiology of dyslexia. Up to 50% of children of a dyslexic parent and 50% of siblings of a dyslexic child have dyslexia.

Neuroanatomy:-Radiological imaging studies have shown corelation between structutal and fuctional differences of brain and dyslexia.

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Diagnosis of dyslexia is clinical, based on presence of unexpected difficulties in reading at the level of phonologic processing of words. Standardized tests are used to test speed, accuracy and comprehension in reading and spelling ability, in relation to the age and school grade.

Management of dyalexia

How Professionals Can Help With Dyslexia

There a number of professionals who might help a child with dyslexia—both in and out of school. They focus on different things: instruction, intervention, school supports and services, counseling and diagnosis

These professionals include:

Reading specialists.

Speech-language pathologists

Child psychologists

Child neuropsychologists

Special education teachers

There are multiple teaching methods to help children with dyslexia.Some well known methods are:-
*Orton–Gillingham approach. *Barton Reading Program.
*Wilson Reading System.

Orton–Gillingham (OG) is most widely and popularly used method is dyslexia.It is briefly diacussed below.
*Orton–Gillingham is a teaching approach designed to help struggling readers.

*Orton–Gillingham teaches the connections between sounds and letters.

*It pioneered the “multisensory” approach to teaching reading.This means that instructors use sight, hearing, touch and movement to help students connect language with letters and word.
Techniques used under multisensory approach are numerous.A brief mention is given below

Sand or Shaving Cream Writing:-

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This activity allows students to use sight, touch and sound to connect letters and their sounds. Students start with a handful of sand on a cookie sheet or a dollop of shaving cream on a table.
Then they spread out the sand or shaving cream and use their finger to write a letter or word in it. As they write, students say the sound each letter makes. They then blend those sounds together and read the whole word aloud.

Other techniques include:-
Sand Paper Writing.
Story sticks.
Tapping out sound.
Air writing.

In younger children, the focus of management is on remediation. Affected children are best taught in small groups by teachers trained in the principle of phonics. The children are taught how letters are linked to sounds.


The stress is on improving phonemic awareness, i.e. the ability to focus on and manipulate phonemes (speech sounds) in spoken syllables and words.

For older children, the management stresses more on accommodation rather than remediation e.g. use of laptops with spell-check, recorded books, giving extra time for writing tests or use of multiple choice questions.

Role of parents

Visit Parenting Coach, where you’ll be taught age-specific, practical tips to work through social, emotional and behavioral challenges.

*Explore ways to improve your child’s reading comprehension. Detect your child's strengths and weakness.

*Find ways to help your child connect letters to sounds in everyday activities.Make use of technology based tools like apps, softwares audiobooks etc.

*Removing stress and anxiety alone can sometimes improve written comprehension.

[Source] (Textbook of pediateicsby OP GHAI)
Textbook of pediateics by NELSON.
Indian Association of pediatrics (IAP) Textbook.
Understanding dyslexia by understood team.

All images used are CC0-Public domain licenced.