What is dyslexia?

Does your child seem to be having trouble learning to read? Have they been lagging behind for some time? You may want to discuss your concerns with your child’s teacher first, as they may have valuable insights. You can also look out for certain signs commonly associated with dyslexia:

• Your child has difficulty associating speech sounds with letters
• They invert or confuse certain letters, syllables, or words (e.g., b/d, s/f)
• They tend to omit or displace word sounds
• They have difficulty reading words with unexpected spellings (e.g., zucchini, autumn, asthma)
• Their reading is slow and laboured
• Etc.

When it comes to reading and writing delays, early intervention is key. Your child’s teacher can introduce you to the various specialized services offered at the school.

Dyslexia is a neurological learning disorder characterized by difficulties in recognizing written words. It is often associated with a writing disorder called dysorthography. There are three common categories of dyslexia:

• Phonological dyslexia: Difficulty decoding speech sounds and associating them with the right letters
• Surface dyslexia: Difficulty memorizing words and reading unusual words (slow reading)
• Double deficit dyslexia: Difficulty decoding speech sounds AND recognizing whole written words

Children with dyslexia often have to work much harder at school and tend to experience greater cognitive fatigue. As a result, doing homework is often that much more difficult. Here are some effective strategies to make their after-school work easier:

• Read the instructions aloud
• Take turns reading
• Explain any words your child doesn’t understand
• Ask questions to make sure they know what to do
• Rephrase any sentences or paragraphs they don’t understand
• Give them extra time to complete tasks
• Watch for signs of fatigue
• Take short breaks
• Eliminate sources of distraction (e.g., television, music)
• Etc.

To this day, the causes of dyslexia are still largely unknown. One thing is certain: it has nothing to do with intelligence. But it does affect how information gets processed by the brain. To encourage your child and give them confidence in their abilities, tell them about dyslexic historical figures or celebrities:

• Thomas Edison
• Leonardo da Vinci
• Walt Disney
• Whoopi Goldberg
• Etc.

To help your child understand the importance of reading, all while having fun, suggest a few activities. Here are some examples:

• Play word games (e.g., Scrabble, Hangman)
• Read aloud to each other
• Find books that suit your child’s abilities
• Read recipes out loud as you cook together
• Listen to audio books