Dyslexia is a learning disorder characterized by difficulty reading, writing, or spelling. People with dyslexia will have difficulty identifying spoken words and converting them into letters or sentences.
Dyslexia is a neurological disorder in the part of the brain that processes language, and can be found in children or adults. Although individuals with dyslexia have difficulty in learning, this disease does not affect a person's level of intelligence.
Symptoms of Dyslexia
Dyslexia can cause symptoms that vary, depending on the age and severity of the sufferer. Symptoms can appear at the age of 1-2 years, or after adulthood.
In young children, symptoms can be difficult to identify. However, after the child reaches school age, the symptoms will become more visible, especially when the child learns to read. Symptoms that appear include:
- Slower speech development than children his age.
- Difficulty processing and understanding what is heard.
- Difficulty finding the right words to answer a question.
- Difficulty pronouncing unfamiliar words.
- Difficulty learning a foreign language.
- Difficulty remembering things.
- Difficulty in spelling, reading, writing, and arithmetic.
- Slow to complete reading or writing tasks.
- Slow to learn the names and sounds of the alphabet.
- Avoid reading and writing activities.
- Difficulty remembering letters, numbers, and colors.
- Difficulty understanding grammar and adding affixes to words.
- Often misspelled names or words.
- Often write backwards, for example writing 'pit' when asked to write 'tip.'
- Difficulty distinguishing certain letters when writing, for example 'd' with 'b' or 'm' with 'w.'
If the development of reading and writing skills of children seems slow, consult a doctor immediately. If dyslexia is left untreated, children's difficulty in reading will last into adulthood.
Causes and Risk Factors of Dyslexia
The exact cause of dyslexia is not yet known, but this condition is thought to be related to gene abnormalities that affect the brain's performance in reading and language. A number of factors that are thought to trigger the gene abnormality are:
- Infection or exposure to nicotine, alcohol, and drugs during pregnancy.
- Born prematurely or born with a low birth weight.
- A history of dyslexia or learning disorders in the family also makes children suffer from dyslexia.
Dyslexia Diagnosis
Doctors can suspect a patient has dyslexia, if there are a number of symptoms that have been described previously. But to be sure, the doctor will consider several factors, such as:
- History health as well development and child education. The doctor will ask if other family members have a history of learning disorders.
- Situation and condition at home. The doctor will also ask about the condition of the family, including who lives in the house, as well as whether there are problems in the family.
- Questionnaire filling. The doctor will ask a number of questions to be filled out by family members and teachers at the school.
- Nerve examination. Nerve function tests are done to check whether dyslexia is related to disorders of the nerves of the brain, eyes, and hearing.
- Psychological test. Psychological tests are carried out to understand a child's mental condition, and to rule out the possibility of anxiety or depression disorders that can affect their learning abilities.
- Academic test. Patients will undergo academic tests that are analyzed by experts in their fields.
Dyslexia Treatment
Although dyslexia is classified as an incurable disease, detection and treatment from an early age is proven to be effective in improving the ability of sufferers to read.
One of the most effective methods in improving the reading and writing ability of dyslexic patients is phonics. The phonics method focuses on improving the ability to identify and process sounds. In the phonics method, the patient will be taught the following things:
- Recognizing sounds of words that sound similar, such as 'market' and 'fence'.
- Spelling and writing, from simple words to complex sentences.
- Understand the letters and the arrangement of the letters that make up the sound.
- Read sentences correctly, and understand the meaning of what is read.
- Compose sentences and understand new vocabulary.
To help the child's healing process, parents can do the following:
- Read aloud in front of children. This step is most effective when performed on children 6 months of age or younger. If the child is old enough, invite the child to read the story together after the previous story is heard.
- Encourage children to dare to read. Eliminate the child's fear of reading. With regular reading, children's ability to read will increase.
- Collaborate with teachers at school. Discuss the child's condition with the teacher at the child's school, then discuss the most appropriate way to help the child succeed in learning. Regularly communicate with the teacher so that you know the child's progress at school.
- Talk to the child about his condition. Give understanding to the child that the condition he is experiencing can be improved, so that the child becomes enthusiastic to learn.
- Limit television viewing. Limit the time your child watches television, and devote more time to learning to read. Choose a reading theme that appeals to children, or choose a fun place to learn so that children are interested in reading.
- Join support group. Join a support group with a similar condition. The experiences of other parents who have children with dyslexia can be valuable information to improve their children's abilities.
Children with dyslexia who are not treated immediately will find it very difficult to read. His ability to understand lessons at school will also be left behind. Therefore, if your child shows symptoms of dyslexia, immediately consult a doctor, either a pediatrician, a child psychiatrist, or a pediatrician who specializes in child development. Treatment will be more effective if done earlier.