What is dyslexia?

Among learning and language problems, dyslexia is one of the most frequent. Due to damage to brain areas responsible for language, there is a low ability to decode spoken language and understand its relationship with words, which causes serious difficulty in reading, regardless of whether those who suffer from it have a normal level of intelligence. So, if a child receives adequate care and follows a special education system for this condition, he or she can do well in school.

Dyslexia is incurable, but there are multiple mechanisms that, if applied efficiently, can help control the problem and lead a normal life. 

Sometimes it is not diagnosed in childhood and the patient may remain unaware of its existence until adulthood, at which point treatment can be started. 

Family history plays an important role in the development of dyslexia, although a series of potential risks that influence its incidence have also been identified:

• If the mother smoked, took drugs, and drank alcohol during pregnancy.
• Infections that alter the baby’s brain development.
• Being a premature baby.
• Having had a very low baby weight.

Children with dyslexia are also likely to develop attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which exacerbates the learning disability and becomes more difficult to treat. 

It is difficult to identify the signs at an early age, but some aspects can help us detect them:

Before school age:

• Difficulty memorizing all kinds of data.
• Starts talking after the normal time.
• Confuses words and mispronounces them.
• Lack of memory to remember words, the alphabet, numbers, and other data.
• It takes too long to learn new words.

School age:

• Does not understand the questions and therefore has difficulty answering them.
• Memory problems.
• Serious problems reading.
• It is very difficult to understand what is being said.
• Struggles to identify the right words when speaking.
• Little ability to incorporate new words into their vocabulary and pronounce them properly.

As there is no specific study or test to diagnose dyslexia, the doctor will analyze your child’s medical history, asking you about their school performance, family lifestyle, habits, and activities. In addition, they will perform auditory, visual, and neurological tests to rule out any underlying cause of dyslexia.

If necessary, they will apply a psychological exam, as well as reading tests and other didactic abilities.

As for the possible treatment, since it is an incurable condition, the aim is to adopt therapies that help your child lead a normal life, minimizing the effects of the disease, such as knowing learning techniques and adopting special personalized educational programs. The earlier dyslexia is diagnosed and treated, the less its effects on a child’s development.

You can help your child overcome this learning problem as best as possible by encouraging reading, reading to them every day, taking an interest in all school subjects, and establishing joint strategies with their teachers so that your child has a successful academic performance.

At the Neurology Center, a select group of highly trained and certified doctors in various neurological specialties are ready to assist you with the quality and warmth that characterizes us.

Our mission is to provide you with comprehensive and multidisciplinary care programs for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of nervous system diseases, always focusing our activities on your safety.

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