Dyslexia: What You Need to Know and How to Help

What is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a learning disorder that affects reading and language skills. People with Dyslexia have difficulty reading and spelling due to brain processes impacting on how to identify speech sounds and how they relate to letters and words (decoding). Dyslexia is not a disease. People have the ability to learn, however they learn differently. It is more appropriately termed “ a language learning difference”.

The difficulty is converting letter symbols to the correct sound and converting sounds to their correct symbol (spelling).

Causes

Dyslexia has a high hereditary component. The brain is wired differently in people with dyslexia and there is a problem with the development of phonological awareness.

Symptoms

Signs of dyslexia vary from person to person. Often people learn to ‘compensate’ by using higher level language skills which masks the underlying problem. There are although often signs at different developmental levels.

Early years prior to schooling

Late talking, word formation issues
Reversing sounds, trouble with similar-sounding words
Difficulty with letters, numbers, colours, rhyming

School Years

Reading delays, poor comprehension
Trouble finding words, sequencing, and distinguishing letters
Difficulty sounding out and spelling words
Avoidance of reading/writing tasks, slow task completion

Diagnosis

There is no singular test that can diagnose Dyslexia, rather a number of factors are taken into consideration such as :

History of child development
Education history
Medical and familial history
Performing questionnaires
Vision, hearing and neurological tests
Psychological assessment
Academic skill tests ie reading, writing

Some specialist examinations may include:

Ophthalmologist (eye doctor)
Audiologist (hearing specialist)
Neurologist
Neuropsychologist
Developmental paediatrician

It is not uncommon that concerns are brought to attention by the child’s early learning teachers

Treatment

There is no actual treatment currently for Dyslexia, however early diagnosis is crucial in supporting the person to learn and flourish. There are a number of educational approaches and interventions that can be used to support learning such as:

Assisting the child to use technique using other senses
Taping lessons so that the child can listen to at a more appropriate pace
Tracing words with the finger
Giving extra time for processing
Learning in short bursts
Reading out loud to build accuracy, speed and fluency
Remove barriers such as interruptions, noise

How Learning Disorders Impact Behaviour

Studies have shown that children with learning disorders are more likely to have problems with problem behaviour. This can be attributed to a number of factors:

Understanding: Children with learning disorders may struggle to comprehend instructions or indirect requests, which can be mistaken for disobedience. This often results from needing more time to process information.
Expressive Language: They may face challenges like stuttering, word-finding issues, or trouble forming sentences, which can affect how others perceive their communication.
Memory & Concentration: Dyslexia often comes with poor working memory and distractibility, sometimes misinterpreted as laziness or lack of interest.
Emotional Regulation: Difficulty expressing emotions can make it hard for the child to understand or convey their own feelings and those of others.
Social Interaction: Individuals with Dyslexia may take things literally, struggle with jokes or idioms, and miss social cues, which can affect peer relationships.

Where can I get help?

You paediatrician can arrange for testing to out rule any other physical conditions

It is not uncommon for your child’s early childhood teachers to pick up that your child is having troubles. School based learning support services can point you in the right direction for diagnosis.

Speech therapists, Occupational therapists and developmental psychologists are often a part of the diagnostic team. Along with behavioural optometrists they are crucial in ongoing diagnosis and developing appropriate strategies.

Organisations such as Auspeld (The Australian Federation of Specific Learning Difficulties) are an online service that promotes effective literacy and numeracy for all age groups. Their services include advice and support to families and educators, strategies, learning support and education.

How do I get Started?

My Lotus Care Group supports a number of families living with ASD We provide support and education for families including:

Support Accessing NDIS
Support Coordination: to provide and manage your support services, NDIS funding and necessary reporting
Access to Allied heath practitioners including OT, Speech therapists, physiotherapists, Dieticians, Social Workers, Psychologists and counsellors
Domestic assistance with cleaning and yard care
Small group social events to provide stimulation, maintain skills and socialisation

To find out more please contact info@mylotus.com.au.