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News From Israel MagazineWhat causes dyslexia, and how is it treated?
The word “dyslexia” comes from two Greek words: dys, which means poor or inadequate, and lexis, which means words or language. Webster’s Dictionary defines it as the impairment of the ability to read. But from a medical perspective, no definition of dyslexia is universally accepted. Thus, the rate of incidence cannot accurately be determined.
An encyclopedia of medicine defines dyslexia as a learning disability characterized by problems in reading, spelling, writing, speaking or listening.
Know this: Dyslexia is not a disease. Children are born with it, and it appears to run in families. Adults do not acquire it. And it has nothing to do with intelligence. In fact, most dyslexics have average or above average intelligence. Some have special talents and abilities in art, entertainment, architecture, and so on. Most people with dyslexia have no difficulty understanding spoken language.
An estimated 15 percent of public school children receive special education for reading problems, of which 5 percent are probably dyslexic.
The condition appears in all ages, races, and income levels, but for some unknown reason, it is more common in males than in females.
We do not know, or even understand the exact cause of dyslexia. To explain it in laymen’s terms, we may say that the brain of a dyslexic
person is wired incorrectly. In other words, someone with dyslexia may see the word “was” backwards, as the word “saw.” Also, some may incorrectly hear the sound for the letter “d” and mistake it for the sound of the letter “b.” Some dyslexics often have a problem with translating language into thought, such as in listening or reading. A strong genetic link has been established in dyslexia.
A study was conducted by the Center for Reading Research of 80 families spanning four generations demonstrated that specific chromosomes and genes were common in some of the dyslexics. Still, more research is needed. Most dyslexic tendencies are not identified until kindergarten or first grade when the child encounters words and symbols.
Unfortunately, in many schools a child is not identified as being dyslexic until after repeated failures. However, dyslexia is evidenced
in pre-school aged children as delayed speech articulation and difficulties remembering the names of letters, numbers and colors, particularly in children with a family history of reading or learning problems.
If any of these signs are present, do not employ a “wait-and-see” attitude. Immediately take the child to be examined and tested by a specialist in learning disorders. Otherwise the child may withdraw or resist going to school. Or the child may feel dumb or inadequate.
Once the child has been diagnosed with dyslexia, the parents should find out exactly what the problem is, what method of teaching is recommended and why. No single method will work with every child and experts often disagree as to the best method to use. Guide the child into getting involved in sports, music or whatever else interests him.
Now is a good time to bring your child closer to Jesus. Tell him or her that God has made him or her into a unique person and will provide the ability to overcome anything.