Dyslexia Treatment for Children and Adults

Most dyslexic children have trouble writing due to poor eye-hand-coordination. They also have problems in math subjects, visual cues, remembering concepts and instructions. Others may have difficulty in dealing with their emotional problems. Though this condition is typically chronic, effective forms of treatment do exist. This article will discuss some of them.

The first thing to do when you suspect that your child may have dyslexia is to set up an appointment wth a physician. Groundless speculation and worry without facts or confirmation can be detrimental to both you and your child.

Once dyslexia has been diagnosed, proper treatment can commence. The treatments will help your child learn and perform better, especially in areas of communication, completion of a task on time, and development of visual and motor skills.

Here are several of the more popular types of dyslexia treatment:

1 - Verbal Exercises

This is the standard dyslexia treatment in much of North America. Dyslexic children practice an assortment of verbal exercises like rhyming, determining the difference between spoken sounds, slowly mixing sounds into words, word matching, etc. Speech pathologists typically set up individulaized programs of these exercises, but some public and private schools now include various related programs in their curriculum.

2 - Word Repetition

Another common treatment for dyslexia is word repetition or “word drills”. Needless to say, this type of treatment can be tiresome and frustrating (for both practitioner and patient), but has found to be an effective form of treatment nonetheless. It can be done by asking the child to repeat the words you have said, or writing them down on paper. (Hint: Never ask the child to repeat a new batch of words unless he or she had successfully repeated the first batch of words.)

3 - Provide breaks during class & when doing homework (at home)

Dyslexic patients tire easily, so it is very essential that you provide breaks in between classes and during homework sessions.

4 - Reinforce your child with support & positive feedback

Reinforcing is also necessary when treating dyslexia. Talk with your child and help him or her deal with their frustration. Set a certain task and time limit for for your child to accomplish. When your child successfully accomplishes it, give him or her a reward. Make sure to include tasks that are school-related when you offer reinforcement. This way they will be encouraged to read, write, and complete homework on their own.

Parents and teachers are the most helpful persons in the treatment of dyslexia in children. The more patient and loving the persons administering the treatment are, the more likely you (and your child) will see positive results... Persistence and patience underlie virtually all successful forms of dyslexia treatment for children.

Here is the dyslexia treatment for kids that we currently recommend: Reading Without Tears. (It is effective and fun.)