Reading disabilities may exist on their own or alongside other forms of learning disabilities. It is considered a continuum where on one end some of the affected individuals only show subtle signs while others are severely affected on the other end. There is almost always a negative effect on the academic performance of the learner. If struggling with reading disabilities Carlsbad parents should know several things on the condition.
The exact cause of this problem is largely unknown. However, a number of studies point towards either structural or functional problems in the brain. There is a need to see a paediatrician for a proper diagnosis to be made. The doctor will take you through the process of history taking and will also perform a physical examination with special emphasis on the central nervous system. Imaging studies such as the MRI and the CT scan may be required in select cases.
There are several categories of the problem. Processing speed deficit is one of them. Children with this form of disability tend to be quite slow in recognizing written words or numbers. While this may not directly relate to how smart a child is, it does affect how well they learn. There is a possibility of falling behind their peers. Slow processing has also been associated with other problems such as impairment of executive functioning skills. These skills are involved in things such as goal setting, problem solving and focusing on tasks among others.
Hyperlexia is a disorder in which the reader is too fast even for themselves. It may be regarded as super ability but is actually a big disadvantage to the learners. This is because comprehension is often poor. Majority of children with this problem will be found to meet the criteria for autism spectrum. The training for this group should be aimed at slowing down the speed to enhance understanding.
Some learners may have a normal reading speed but still have problems with comprehension. This is present in between ten and fifteen per cent of affected children. Such children will recognize words but will have a challenge in putting them into context thus cannot understand passages. The causes for this may include problems in abstract verbal reasoning, difficulties in social reasoning and language comprehension.
Another category is that associated with retention problems. A number of children have difficulties decoding and thus will end up with problems of remembering content. Such children use a lot of effort to grasp individual words such that they are left with less mental energy for remembering. Some of the telltale signs include frequent confusion about word meanings, lack of concentration when reading and omission of details.
The mode of management is individualized and depends on the exact nature of the problem and its severity. For learners finding it difficult to read due to a particular colour of background or text, can opt for different colours. Colour overlays and putting on tinted glasses while reading have also been tried with variable success.
The teacher and the parent need to work closely to increase the chances of success in solving reading disabilities. They need to, for example, identify the words that are commonly misspelled and come up with strategies that can be used to enhance memory. There are a number of interesting games available online they can help with improving spelling. A reward system for correct spellings may be used as positive reinforcement.
The exact cause of this problem is largely unknown. However, a number of studies point towards either structural or functional problems in the brain. There is a need to see a paediatrician for a proper diagnosis to be made. The doctor will take you through the process of history taking and will also perform a physical examination with special emphasis on the central nervous system. Imaging studies such as the MRI and the CT scan may be required in select cases.
There are several categories of the problem. Processing speed deficit is one of them. Children with this form of disability tend to be quite slow in recognizing written words or numbers. While this may not directly relate to how smart a child is, it does affect how well they learn. There is a possibility of falling behind their peers. Slow processing has also been associated with other problems such as impairment of executive functioning skills. These skills are involved in things such as goal setting, problem solving and focusing on tasks among others.
Hyperlexia is a disorder in which the reader is too fast even for themselves. It may be regarded as super ability but is actually a big disadvantage to the learners. This is because comprehension is often poor. Majority of children with this problem will be found to meet the criteria for autism spectrum. The training for this group should be aimed at slowing down the speed to enhance understanding.
Some learners may have a normal reading speed but still have problems with comprehension. This is present in between ten and fifteen per cent of affected children. Such children will recognize words but will have a challenge in putting them into context thus cannot understand passages. The causes for this may include problems in abstract verbal reasoning, difficulties in social reasoning and language comprehension.
Another category is that associated with retention problems. A number of children have difficulties decoding and thus will end up with problems of remembering content. Such children use a lot of effort to grasp individual words such that they are left with less mental energy for remembering. Some of the telltale signs include frequent confusion about word meanings, lack of concentration when reading and omission of details.
The mode of management is individualized and depends on the exact nature of the problem and its severity. For learners finding it difficult to read due to a particular colour of background or text, can opt for different colours. Colour overlays and putting on tinted glasses while reading have also been tried with variable success.
The teacher and the parent need to work closely to increase the chances of success in solving reading disabilities. They need to, for example, identify the words that are commonly misspelled and come up with strategies that can be used to enhance memory. There are a number of interesting games available online they can help with improving spelling. A reward system for correct spellings may be used as positive reinforcement.
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