Dyslexia Treatment in Delhi, India

Signs of dyslexia can be difficult to recognise before the child begins going to school. However, some cases can be diagnosed earlier. Often it is the teachers who recognise this issue. The severity of symptoms often differs from child to child, but the condition becomes apparent once the child starts reading or learning. The symptoms that appear at different stages of a dyslexic child's life include:

Before school

• Late talking
• Learning new words slowly
• Difficulty learning nursery rhymes
• Difficulty learning and playing rhyming games
• Problems forming words, such as reversing sounds or confusing words that sound alike
• Problems remembering or naming letters, colours or numbers

School-age

• Unable to read like children of their age.
• Difficulty in processing and understanding that is heard
• Difficulty in finding the correct word or forming answers to questions
• Inability to speak the pronunciation of an unfamiliar word
• Difficulty spelling
• Problems remembering the sequence of words or sentences
• Difficulty seeing or hearing similarities and differences in letters and words
• Spending an unusually long time completing tasks of reading or writing
• Avoiding activities that involve reading

Teens and adults

• Difficulty reading, including reading aloud
• Difficulty summarising a story
• Trouble learning a foreign language
• Slow and labour-intensive reading and writing
• Problems spelling
• Avoiding activities that involve reading
• Mispronouncing names or words
• Having issues with retrieving words
• Difficulty doing maths word problems

Dyslexia occurs due to changes in the areas of the brain that affect a child's reading ability. It often results in children with a family history of dyslexia. This condition is linked to certain genes that control an individual's reading and language processes.

Imaging scans of dyslexic people show that the areas of the brain responsible for carrying out reading and learning processes fail to function properly. When a child learns to read, they try to figure out what sound each letter makes. For instance, "D" makes the sound "dee". This is followed by making spellings, for example, d-o-g. Finally, they learn what the word means; for instance, a dog is an animal. In dyslexic children, this is not the case. They find it difficult to connect letters, sounds and words and tend to mix them up. In some children, this can be a slow and challenging process.

There's no single test available to diagnose dyslexia. Their teachers often diagnose this condition when they find it difficult to read and learn. To diagnose dyslexia, the following factors are considered:

• A child's development, educational issues and medical history: Doctors ask questions that help them understand the child's developmental status, the level of the educational issues, and their medical history. They also record complete family history to assess if dyslexia or any other learning disability prevails among the family members.

• Questionnaires: Doctors often request parents, children or teachers to fill up questionnaires that help them assess the child's condition. Moreover, children are asked to take tests that evaluate their reading and language abilities.

• Vision, hearing and neurological tests: These tests help rule out other conditions contributing to learning disabilities.

• Psychological evaluation: The doctor may ask questions to understand the child's mental health better. This can help evaluate whether anxiety, social problems, or depression may be limiting the child's abilities to learn or read.

• Tests for reading and other academic skills: The child may need to take educational tests analysed by a reading expert.

Although brain abnormalities cannot be changed, only timely diagnosis and early intervention can help the child adjust to its environment faster. Treating dyslexia aims to support the child with communication regarding reading, writing, and learning basic skills. Some children may also need support in adjusting to their surroundings. In addition, treatment aims at maximising the child's ability to function in the fast-growing world. In many cases, treatment can help the child to become a competent reader.

• Educational techniques: Dyslexia can be managed by using specialised and customised educational techniques. The earlier the intervention, the better it is for the child. Evaluations of the child's reading, and other academic skills, along with mental health, are helpful for teachers to develop a personalised teaching program.

  Teachers may include hearing, vision, and touch to improve the child's reading skills. Using several senses to teach can significantly contribute to the child's development. For instance, listening to a taped session and tracing the shape of the letters and words with a finger can help process information.

  Treatment helps the child to:

  • Use phonemes: Learn to recognise and use the smallest sounds that make up words
  • Phonics: Understand that letters and their strings represent these sounds and words
  • Comprehend: Understand what is read
  • Fluency: Read aloud to build reading accuracy, speed and expression
  • Build a vocabulary of recognised and understood words

Personal tutoring sessions also help to a great extent. In cases of severe learning disability, multiple tutoring sessions may be needed, and delayed progress may be observed.

• Early treatment: Early treatment contributes significantly to the child's overall development. In addition, their reading skills can improve to a great extent and help them succeed in primary school.

Children who only get help in later grades face more difficulties in learning and slowly develop reading skills. They often lag behind academically and may need help to catch up.

Parents play a major role in a dyslexic child's life. What they can do is:

• Address the problem early
• Read aloud with the child
• Work with the child's school
• Encourage reading time with the child
• Set an example for reading
• Reward the child on accomplishing goals

The only risk factor for a child having dyslexia is a family history of dyslexia or any learning or reading disabilities.

Dyslexia can cause certain complications, such as:

• Difficulty in learning: Reading is an essential skill dyslexic people have difficulty acquiring. Most undiagnosed children find it challenging to learn in school and keep up with the curriculum. In addition, they also need help competing academically with their peers.
• Social problems: If left untreated, dyslexia can lead to behaviour problems, anxiety, low self-esteem, aggression, and withdrawal from friends and relatives.
• Problems as adults: With age, reading and comprehending can become challenging. It also prevents them from reaching their full potential. It may result in negative long-term educational, economic, and social impacts.
• In addition, dyslexic kids carry an increased risk of developing attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and vice versa.

Dyslexia cannot be prevented. However, the condition can be managed by approaching different strategies that help the child learn and read. Talking to the healthcare provider or the child's school can help develop a personalised education plan.

Holistic treatment of dyslexia requires occupational therapists, special educators and speech therapy. Psychological support for the whole family, along with the help of therapists, is the best approach.