Health Tips > Psychological Disorder

Dyslexia

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Jannatul Ferdous:
There are many people who can help your child improve her reading and writing skills. Some of these people may work at your child’s school. Some you may want to seek out in your community. Here are ways professionals can help with dyslexia.

Your Child’s Teachers

Schools have been working for decades to help students with reading issues. Your child’s teacher may be familiar with several methods of reading instruction and try different approaches to help your child.

There are also accommodations that can help in class. These might include giving extra time on tests or letting your child use high-tech tools like word-prediction software. Even without a diagnosis, your child’s school can do a lot of things to help your child academically.
Response to intervention (RTI) is a process some schools use to provide extra help to students who are falling behind. If your child’s school uses RTI, routine screenings identify which kids need help to develop certain skills. Then those kids will receive small-group instruction either within or outside of their regular classroom. If your child doesn’t make enough progress in a small group, the school should try other approaches until it finds one that is successful.

Informal supports are strategies teachers can use to help struggling students. Set up a meeting to talk about your mutual concerns. Common strategies teachers use to help kids with dyslexia include using a multisensory approach to link listening, speaking, reading and writing, and having kids repeat directions back to the teacher.
Often, after trying some informal supports, you or the school may recommend getting a504 plan. A 504 plan will be created only if the child is found to have a condition that interferes with learning. This is a written plan detailing how the school will accommodate your child’s needs.

Another option you may want to pursue is to request an evaluation for special educationservices. An evaluation will determine whether your child qualifies for an Individualized Education Program (IEP).

Jannatul Ferdous:
Reading Specialists

Public schools have reading specialists who can work with your child one-on-one or in small groups. These specialists can help your child focus on improving reading skills. There are also private tutors who use specialized methods of reading instruction that may help your child.

Your Child’s Doctor

Sometimes dyslexia can take such a toll on your child’s self-esteem that anxiety and depression can set in. This makes school even more difficult. Talk to your pediatrician about what you’re seeing. Seeing a psychologist could help your child manage stress.

Parent Advocates

Every state has at least one parent advocacy center. These nonprofits are staffed by parents whose kids have disabilities. These experienced parents have learned how to navigate the education system. They can help you prepare for important school meetings and do other things to get more resources for your child. You can find the center in your area through the Parent Technical Assistance Network.

Jannatul Ferdous:
Helping your child with dyslexia can be a challenge, particularly if you’re never been confident in your own reading and writing skills. But you don’t have to be an expert to help work on certain skills or strengthen your child’s self-esteem.
Keep in mind that kids (and families) are all different, so not all options will work for you. Don’t panic if the first strategies you try aren’t effective. You may need to try several approaches to find what works best for your child. Here are some things you can try at home:

•   Read out loud every day. If your child is very young, read picture books together. For a grade-schooler or middle-schooler, snuggle up with a copy of Harry Potter. For a teenager, consider reading magazine or newspaper articles or maybe a recipe. Billboards, store-discount signs and instruction manuals are also fair game. Hearing you read can let your child focus on understanding the material and expanding his overall knowledge base. Do it every chance you can get.
•   Tap into your child’s interests. Provide a variety of reading materials, such as comic books, mystery stories, recipes and articles on sports or pop stars. Look for good books that are at your child’s reading level. Kids with dyslexia and other reading issues are more likely to power through a book if the topic is of great interest to them.
•   Use audiobooks. Check your local library to see if you can borrow audio recordings of books. You can also access them online. Some stores sell books for younger kids that come with a recording of the story on a CD that prompts them when it’s time to turn the page. Listening to a book while looking at the words can help your child learn to connect the sounds she’s hearing to the words she’s seeing.
•   Look for apps and other high-tech help. Word processors and spell-check can help kids who have trouble with reading and spelling. Voice-recognition software can help older students tackle writing assignments by letting them dictate their ideas instead of having to type them. There are also lots of apps and online games that can help your child build reading skills.
•   Observe and take notes. Watching your child more closely and taking notes on her behavior may reveal patterns and triggers that you can begin to work around. Your notes will also come in handy if you want to talk to teachers, doctors or anyone else you enlist to help your child.
•   Focus on effort, not outcome. Praise your child for trying hard, and emphasize that everyone makes mistakes—you included! Help your child understand how important it is to keep practicing, and give hugs, high-fives or other rewards for making even the smallest bits of progress. Your encouragement will help your child stay motivated.
•   See what it feels like. Use Through Your Child’s Eyes to experience what it’s like to have dyslexia. Sometimes simply acknowledging that you understand what your child is going through can boost her confidence enough to try different strategies and stick with them long enough to see which ones are the most helpful.
•   Make your home reader-friendly. Try to stock every room (including the bathroom!) with at least a few books or magazines your child might be interested in reading. Take a book when you go out for pizza or on a trip, and read it to your family so you can all discuss it. Look for other creative ways to encourage reading and writing at home.
•   Boost confidence. Use hobbies and afterschool activities to help improve your child’s self-esteem and increase resilience.

Jannatul Ferdous:
Dyslexia can present challenges for your child and for you. But with the proper support, almost all people with dyslexia can become accurate readers. Your involvement will help tremendously.

Wherever you are in your journey, whether you’re just starting out or are well on your way, this site can help you find more ways to support your child. Here are a few things that can help make the journey easier:

•   Connect with other parents. Remember that you’re not alone. Use our safe online community to find parents like you.
•   Get behavior advice. Parenting Coach offers expert-approved strategies on a variety of issues that can affect children with dyslexia, including trouble with time management, anxiety and fear, frustration and low self-esteem.
•   Build a support plan. Come up with a game plan and anticipate what lies ahead.
Understanding dyslexia and looking for ways to help your child is an important first step. There’s a lot you can do—just don’t feel you have to do everything all at once. Pace yourself. If you try a bunch of strategies at the same time, it might be hard to figure out which ones are working. And do your best to stay positive. Your love and support can make a big difference in your child’s life.

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