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.
A number of categories of this problem exist. The classification is mainly based in the predominant symptom. One of the commonest types is what is teemed processing speed deficit. It is characterized by slow recognition of seemingly simple words and making sense of them. While this may not be suggestive of low IQ, it certainly contributes to learning difficulties and affected children will often lag behind their peers. It may be accompanied with executive functioning deficits resulting in problems with focusing, goal setting and arithmetic problem solving.
Hyperlexia is the opposite of processing speed deficit. The learner is abnormally fast in reading. Although it may be mistaken for a talent, it actually posses a big disadvantage to the individual. This is because they tend to have very poor comprehension. Many of the affected children will be noted to have other characteristics that place them in the autism spectrum. Speed training can be undertaken so as to ensure they have enough time to understand the content read.
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.
Retention of information may also be a problem. The major cause for this is the inability of the learner to decode word meanings. A lot of effort goes into world recognition and this results in mental exhaustion making it quite difficult to remember what one has read. Some of the signs that may suggest the problem include lack of concentration, omission of details and confusion on word meanings among others.
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.
A number of categories of this problem exist. The classification is mainly based in the predominant symptom. One of the commonest types is what is teemed processing speed deficit. It is characterized by slow recognition of seemingly simple words and making sense of them. While this may not be suggestive of low IQ, it certainly contributes to learning difficulties and affected children will often lag behind their peers. It may be accompanied with executive functioning deficits resulting in problems with focusing, goal setting and arithmetic problem solving.
Hyperlexia is the opposite of processing speed deficit. The learner is abnormally fast in reading. Although it may be mistaken for a talent, it actually posses a big disadvantage to the individual. This is because they tend to have very poor comprehension. Many of the affected children will be noted to have other characteristics that place them in the autism spectrum. Speed training can be undertaken so as to ensure they have enough time to understand the content read.
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.
Retention of information may also be a problem. The major cause for this is the inability of the learner to decode word meanings. A lot of effort goes into world recognition and this results in mental exhaustion making it quite difficult to remember what one has read. Some of the signs that may suggest the problem include lack of concentration, omission of details and confusion on word meanings among others.
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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