Just what is dyslexia and what should we as parents know about it so that we can help our children? According to the Mayo Clinic, dyslexia is a reading disorder that affects the way that the brain processes language. It is mostly associated with children having difficulties learning to read and has nothing to do with the child’s intelligence. It is estimated that one in five children has dyslexia.

Before a child starts school, common symptoms include:

Late talking
Learning new words slowly
Problems forming words correctly, such as reversing sounds in words or confusing words that sound alike
Problems remembering or naming letters, numbers and colors
Difficulty learning nursery rhymes or playing rhyming games

Once the child is in school, it becomes easier to diagnose dyslexia as symptoms include:

Reading well below the expected level for age
Difficulty finding the right word or forming answers to questions
Problems remembering the sequence of things
Difficulty seeing (and occasionally hearing) similarities and differences in letters and words
Difficulty spelling
Spending an unusually long time completing tasks that involve reading or writing
Avoiding activities that involve reading

It is important to speak with your child’s doctor if your child is having any of these symptoms. Be diligent as the social impact of dyslexia can have a negative effect on your child and how he perceives himself. With assistance in forming strategies to compensate for various weaknesses, your child can excel socially and academically. Unfortunately, however, a person never outgrows dyslexia.

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