What Is Dyslexia And How Does It Relate To Learning In Childhood?

If your child has difficulty reading, understanding instructions, and expressing themselves orally, these are some of the signs that could alert you to possible dyslexia. It is also important to diagnose your child to provide appropriate treatment to facilitate their learning.

Dyslexia is a learning disorder that involves difficulty reading, both visually and audibly; there may also be difficulty understanding instructions, spelling, and writing.

Although it makes learning difficult, dyslexia is not a problem of intelligence or intellectual disability, explains María Nitsch, a specialist in learning problems. “Children with dyslexia have normal or superior intelligence,” she says.

Although the exact causes of dyslexia have not been determined, some studies show that genetic factors may have an influence, since the more relatives have dyslexia, the greater the chance of having it.

There are also other positions, explains Nitsch: “It has to do with nutrition, methodologies, bilingualism, which are not determining factors, but they are related.” She also adds that other elements can have an impact at different stages: during pregnancy, poor nutrition of the mother; during childbirth, low birth weight, and lack of oxygen; among others.

Diagnosis

The Broca area, the part of the brain responsible for language, functions differently in a person with dyslexia. This is why it appears and is diagnosed once the person has gone through a process of perception and interpretation of language when the child tries to express himself, adds Nitsch.

Warning signs

It is important to pay specific attention if your child has difficulties with oral language (expressing themselves, understanding instructions), difficulty with gross motor skills (movement of arms and legs, such as sitting, jumping, and running), and fine motor skills (small and precise movements, such as of the lips, fingers, and eyes).

Similarly, it is possible to identify characteristics that are out of the ordinary in family patterns, such as learning to speak at a certain age. According to the specialist in learning problems, Nitsch, if at 4 or 5 years of age, the child still has difficulties speaking, this is also a warning sign.

“It has a lot to do with language development,” she says and stresses the importance of paying attention when a child is recommended to see a speech therapist, to avoid difficulties later on.

Treatment

By providing adequate attention to basic needs and emotional intelligence, Nitsch says, there may be a chance of preventing dyslexia from developing. However, once present, it does not go away and, if left untreated, can become worse.

“There is no cure, you just learn to manage it. If we have it, nothing serious happens,” says Maria Nitsch, who reminds us of the importance of parents, teachers, and children being aware of what dyslexia is, what it consists of, and communicating how they feel when they do not understand instructions.

At all stages of life, a person with dyslexia needs to know how to communicate how they feel when they do not understand instructions or information. (Photo: Prensa Libre: Services).

Likewise, it is important to have support both at school and at home. “It is temporary; sometimes it lasts months, other times it lasts years, and it is to learn to identify the difficulties and the techniques that facilitate learning,” she adds.

Some of the risks of not treating dyslexia are related to the social aspect: the child may perceive rejection or may become aggressive if not understood.

Some techniques

There are some ways to make reading easier by using colors to identify unknown or difficult words. Education is usually very traditional, however, there are general measures that allow for a more suitable learning environment for children with dyslexia.

“It is important to make the teacher see that he must verify and rectify that the child pays attention and understands the instructions,” says Nitsch. In this way, the teacher is guided to ask the child questions, to ask him to repeat what he understood as part of the teaching strategies.

The child must have support, both at school and at home. (Photo Prensa Libre: Services).

As the expert explains, it is not necessary to make an extraordinary change in the curriculum but rather to be inclusive through adjustments such as the use of colors, sounds, font size, and the amount of reading assigned to it.

Another recommendation from Nitsch is to involve children in the solution; to do this, it is necessary to ask them how they feel to provide them with adequate support.

“At home, it is important to have someone accompanying the child in the reinforcement; not as an inspector, but as a support,” she says, adding that correction consists of support and not a scolding. This will allow the child to develop his observation skills.

“It is a delicate subject”

For Nitsch, dyslexia “is not a topic that should be taken lightly,” he says and expresses that it is a technical and delicate term that, before using it, requires a specialized diagnosis and, once this is done, seek the necessary support.