Dyslexia Definition
Dyslexia Definition
Blog Article
Who Can Diagnose Dyslexia?
Many people with dyslexia have trouble recognizing or pronouncing the sounds of letters. They may also mix up similar-looking letters or words, and struggle to spell.
Dyslexia is diagnosed by a qualified professional, usually a psychologist, developmental-behavioral pediatrician or child neuropsychologist. A diagnosis is needed to qualify for special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). An accurate evaluation can help children get evidence-based reading instruction.
Diagnosis
A person with dyslexia struggles with reading, spelling and writing. They often have a hard time sounding out words, they read slower than expected for their age and they have trouble with word problems in math. Dyslexia can also make it difficult to remember things they've heard or read and it makes it hard for them to put their great thoughts down on paper.
It's important to talk to your child's teacher or school special needs co-ordinator if you suspect they might have dyslexia. They can refer you to specialists who will do a formal assessment.
The formal diagnosis process starts with collecting information about the individual, their birth history, family history and their early educational experiences. This information is reviewed by a specialist in specific learning disabilities and/or dyslexia who has a thorough understanding of the characteristics of dyslexia at different stages of development and of the influence that co-occurring difficulties, such as emotional adjustment or attention can have on literacy development.
Testing
There are many different kinds of testing that may be used to diagnose dyslexia, including word recognition, phonological awareness, and reading fluency and comprehension tests. These are usually administered by a qualified specialist or clinician, and can be arranged through your child's school or independently.
An accurate diagnosis of dyslexia can help your child receive evidence-based teaching and accommodations on high stakes tests such as the SAT and ACT. The process of diagnosis begins by collecting information about your child, including your family history and early childhood development and education.
The most effective way to identify a student with dyslexia is through a comprehensive diagnostic assessment conducted by an educational psychologist or specialist in dyslexia. This will provide a clearer picture of your child's strengths and weaknesses and show whether their performance is below that expected on the basis of their intelligence. This is the only way that a child can be formally diagnosed with dyslexia.
Treatment
A child is considered to have dyslexia if they score much lower than the average on reading and spelling tests. This lower performance is based on a comparison to other children of the same age and grade level, with an emphasis on a percentage ranking that is at least 15 points below the early signs of dyslexia in preschoolers norm (or one standard deviation below).
Dyslexia affects the ability to recognize word sounds, or phonemes (the basic sounds that make up speech), and blend these sounds together to form words. In order to help kids with dyslexia overcome these difficulties, specialists teach them phonics -- the process of linking letters to their sounds and blending those sounds into words.
These specialists can be teachers, psychologists, or speech-language pathologists who focus on learning challenges. They also work with other professionals, including your child's school staff and physicians, to create a dyslexia treatment plan. The goal of treatment is to improve classroom performance and overall quality of life.
Support
People with dyslexia often have substantial abilities in other areas such as dancing, art, mechanical skills, or sports. Help them find those talents and build their self-esteem. Children with dyslexia who feel like failures in reading can become frustrated, which may lead to anger or depression. They can also become victims of bullying and teasing from peers, especially boys.
Many states have laws that allow kids and teens with language-based learning differences -- including dyslexia -- to get special help in school. This can include specialized instruction, extra time on tests, and copies of teachers' notes.
For more information and to get a screening, talk with your child's teacher. It is usually the teacher who will notice that a student is struggling to read, and they should be able to point you in the direction of a specialist. A dyslexia evaluation can cost up to $2,000, but some organizations offer free or reduced-cost services. There are also online services that offer dyslexia testing.