Treating dyslexia: 4 tips for parents

Dyslexia is included within a broad classification, that of specific learning difficulties (DEA), and it's a literacy disorder characterized by difficulty understanding written texts, as well as to distinguish or memorize letters or groups of letters, among other problems. Dyslexic people suffer from this disorder despite having adequate intelligence, good socio-cultural opportunities and a correct education.

Dyslexia is a factor that affects the school dropout and it is one of the most common learning problems (it constitutes 80% of diagnoses of learning disorders). This disorder basically affects learning to read but also to writing. More boys than girls suffer from dyslexia, and this disorder is common with dyscalculia, dysgraphia, or ADHD.

Dyslexic reading is slow and full of inaccuracies, as they make mistakes with long and infrequent words, although they tend to read short and familiar words more quickly.

Causes of Dyslexia

Although there has been a great debate to clarify the causes of dyslexia, most research seems to indicate that

has a neurobiological origin, with a significant hereditary burden and with a predominance of a phonological deficit that causes learning difficulties in reading.

The symptoms of dyslexia can be different from one person to another, so it seems that it could There are different regions of the brain affected that are involved in the execution of literacy.

Dyslexia treatment

Treatment for dyslexia should include two important agents for the school-age child: teachers and parents.

The teachers' work is very important as they must carry out specific educational work for the child. Parents are in charge of providing the necessary emotional support, as dyslexia can have negative effects on the self-esteem of the child. Parents are an important figure for proper recovery.

The reeducational work of the teacher should be aimed at the child recognizing the letters through different techniques, turning exercises or laterality, etc. Therefore, the teaching methodology must be different from that of other students without dyslexia. It is important that the educator tries to keep the child calm and does not feel pressured.

The psychological therapy It can also be of great help, since in many cases dyslexia can cause other types of problems: anxiety, depression, psychosomatic symptoms and conduct disorders.

As mentioned, parents have the responsibility to show emotional support and take care of what tasks your child should do at home. Many times they also need to be educated so that they can intervene at home, and so that their child's disorder does not negatively affect them.

Tips for parents

Since parents play an important role in improving their dyslexic children, here are some basic tips when it comes to knowing how to act.

If your child suffers from dyslexia, you should:

1. Address the issue early

If you suspect that your child may have dyslexia, you should talk to your GP as soon as possible. Early intervention guarantees better success than school intervention and treatment They will take the problem in its initial stages, at which time it is easier to solve the problem. symptomatology.

2. Work with your child's school

Good communication with your child's teacher will help you enormously, since there will be better coordination between two of the educational agents most important to him. Therefore, do not hesitate to expose your concerns to the teaching team and maintain a channel of contact agile to keep up to date with the evolution of the child and the auxiliary supports that could to require.

3. Provoking time to read

For the child to improve his reading skills, he must practice. Create situations that stimulate your child's reading. Of course, you should bear in mind that forcing him too much can be counterproductive because it can lead to an aversion to reading. Therefore, little by little and without haste, introduce the habit of reading as something pleasant and desirable, and he will improve as he makes contact with books.

4. You can be their example to follow

Try to read something that encourages yourself so that, in this way, your child sees you as an example to follow. Teach your child that reading can be fun. Children do what they see in their parents: if he sees you read and enjoy with a book in hand, is likely to follow your example.