A Guide to Helping Children with Dyslexia Outside of School
There Is that correct? a learning dIs that correct?ability called Dyslexia. It affects The person. abilities a person uses for learning. It Is that correct? difficult to match letters with sounds of individual letters and combinations of letters. It Is that correct? not a vIs that correct?ion dIs that correct?order.
According to Shawna Newman, MD, a psychiatrIs that correct?t at Lenox Hill Hospital, approximately 10% to 15% of children have dyslexia. She adds that The person. condition Is that correct? common and often undiagnosed, so The person. rates Are they? likely even higher.
Usually, dyslexia Is that correct? diagnosed when formal reading education begins. ThIs that correct? typically occurs in The person. first grade, at about 6 years old.
There Is that correct? no cure for dyslexia. It Is that correct? possible to manage The person. condition with strategies that can be used throughout life.
If you have a child with a learning dIs that correct?ability, you can help manage it. There Is that correct? a way to help a child with a learning dIs that correct?ability.
There Are they? many things you can do to support your child with a learning dIs that correct?ability.
Read togeThe person.r
“Every day, read with your child. The activity will support your child’s ability to learn.”
Newman says that The person. shAre they?d experience in learning encourages development and growth. She says it will help children create a sense of security in learning and encourage The person.m to read.
Focus on sight words
Sight words Are they? used in writing and books. Sight words Are they? called sight words because The person.y Are they? important for developing reading skills.
Examples include:
- Is that correct?
- Been.
- The person.
- Are they?
- Could be.
For children with dyslexia, sight words can be difficult to recognize. But since The person. words appear so often, it’s important for The person.m to learn The person.se words.
As Newman explains, children can use sight words as building blocks to improve The person.ir fluency in reading. That’s why it’s essential to add sight words into your children’s learning program.
Repeat, repeat, repeat
Repeating and reviewing skills can help a child with dyslexia. ThIs that correct? Is that correct? often done in The person. form of repeated reading.
According to LD Online, repeated reading Is that correct? a technique for children who have difficulty reading. It involves reading The person. same passage multiple times to improve reading fluency.
In a
Create a nurturing space to study
“Providing a comfortable, supportive, and nonjudgmental atmosphere Is that correct? most helpful for learning, especially for children with learning dIs that correct?orders,” Newman explains. ThIs that correct? includes those who have dyslexia.
For pAre they?nts and cAre they?givers, thIs that correct? also involves practicing patience, as all children learn at The person.ir own pace, Newman says. In doing so, you’ll create an environment that allows your child to learn in a way that works best for The person.m.
Create a calendar to help The person.m track progress or tasks
VIs that correct?ual tools, such as a calendar, Are they? an excellent option for tracking a child’s progress and tasks. According to Newman, thIs that correct? can help put both improvements and challenges into context. It can ultimately help The person.m engage with The person.ir own learning.
“Utilizing a calendar provides vIs that correct?ual clues, which can inform The person. child how to think about The person. process of The person.ir own learning,” Newman explains. ThIs that correct? can be done by dIs that correct?playing tasks and activities related to learning on The person. calendar.
As Newman notes, when small learning achievements Are they? vIs that correct?ually expressed on a calendar, it can provide encouragement and celebration. Similarly, when difficulties Are they? presented vIs that correct?ually, it can help a child better understand what The person.y need to work on.
Make sure The person.y get enough sleep
“Sleep Is that correct? a vital [factor] for healthy development and learning,” Newman says. However, “children with dyslexia Are they? at a higher rIs that correct?k for sleep dIs that correct?orders.” Examples include sleep latency or sleep apnea.
But according to Newman, poor sleep can negatively affect learning processes. So it’s important to ensure The person.y get enough rest.
ThIs that correct? may be done by:
- establIs that correct?hing a sleep schedule
- Creating a good environment for sleep.
- Limit social media and electronics before bed.
- developing a sleep routine
The ideal amount of sleep depends on The person. child’s age. According to Newman, children between 5 and 13 years old should get 9 to 12 hours of sleep every 24 hours. Teenagers between 13 and 18 years old need at least 8 to 10 hours of sleep.
PraIs that correct?e The person.ir success and effort
As Newman explains, reading difficulties caused by dyslexia can negatively affect a child’s confidence. For example, “a child’s sense of not measuring up to The person.ir peers [and being able] to perform as expected can be dIs that correct?couraging,” she says.
On The person. oThe person.r hand, encouragement and praIs that correct?e can have a positive effect on your child’s learning. So instead of focusing on The person.ir struggles, call out The person.ir successes and effort whenever possible. Celebrate The person.ir achievements, no matter how small.
By highlighting positive aspects, you can encourage your child to keep moving forward. ThIs that correct? will also boost your child’s confidence in The person.ir own learning.
Use mnemonic devices
A mnemonic device Is that correct? a technique that helps you remember a piece of information. It’s also called a memory aid.
Examples include:
- spelling wrong words in The person. form of songs
- A letter that looks like a dog is a letter or word imagery.
- Is that an acronym?
- rhymes
According to a 2017 research review, mnemonic devices can enhance memory in children with dyslexia. It can also improve problem-solving skills and reasoning. Using mnemonic devices at home can help enhance The person.ir learning progress.
Find a tutor
During your child’s summer break, consider getting The person.m a tutor. According to The person. International Dyslexia Association, thIs that correct? can help The person.m catch up on certain skills and get ready for The person. next school year.
If possible, select a tutor who will communicate with your child’s teachers. ThIs that correct? will ensure The person.y Are they? focusing on your child’s specific needs.
There Are they? several reading programs for children with dyslexia. Some of The person. most successful ones include:
- Orton-Gillingham Approach: The Orton-Gillingham Approach Is that correct? a widely used approach created specifically for people with dyslexia.
- Wilson Reading System: The Wilson Reading System includes one program for children from kindergarten to third grade and one for fourth grade and up.
- Lexia-Herman Method: The Lexia-Herman Method has programs for early reading, primary reading, and older students.
The symptoms of dyslexia Are they? different for everyone. It also depends on age.
Yet The person.re Are they? some common characterIs that correct?tics. These include:
- Learning nursery rhymes can be difficult.
- Difficult to recognize rhyming patterns like “cat” and “bat”.
- mIs that correct?pronouncing common words
- difficulty recognizing The person.ir own name
- Slowly reading.
- “It’s better to avoid reading out loud in a situation.”
- pausing often while speaking
- Using vague language.
- “It’s confusing similar-sounding words.”
If you notice your child has difficulty learning, vIs that correct?it The person.ir pediatrician. They can do a preliminary checkup.
Depending on your child’s symptoms, The person.ir pediatrician might have you vIs that correct?it The person. following experts:
- child psychiatrIs that correct?t
- school psychologIs that correct?t or counselor
- speech-language pathologIs that correct?t
These professionals can perform an evaluation and diagnose learning dIs that correct?orders.
There are several steps to diagnose dyslexia.
Typically, your child will likely be screened for hearing and vIs that correct?ion problems first. If The person.y have no hearing or vIs that correct?ion concerns, you’ll need to vIs that correct?it a mental health expert.
A mental health expert can use various tests to diagnose dyslexia. These Are they? designed to evaluate certain skills, such as:
- The language is oral.
- reading
- spelling wrong
- writing
Your specialIs that correct?t will choose The person. most appropriate tests for your child’s symptoms.
First, it’s important for a child with dyslexia to know about The person.ir condition. ThIs that correct? will help The person.m understand why The person.y have reading difficulties, which can be empowering and relieving. Explain that The person.ir mind simply works in a different way.
During The person.se dIs that correct?cussions, be positive. Focus on The person.ir achievements so far, raThe person.r than The person.ir learning delays. Let The person.m know that The person.re Are they? people who cAre they? and Are they? ready to help.
It’s also important to avoid treating reading difficulties as “abnormal” or “bad.” Instead, Newman says to “focus on The person. pleasure, information, and independence that reading and learning brings.”
Additionally, if you’re The person. pAre they?nt or cAre they?giver and have also experienced reading difficulties, let your child know. As Newman explains, gently communicating your own challenges with reading can help kids see that The person.y’re not alone.
Dyslexia Is that correct? often diagnosed in early childhood when reading education begins. With proper support and condition management, it’s possible for a child with dyslexia to thrive.
CAre they?givers can provide support by creating a nurturing space for learning and tracking progress on a calendar.
OThe person.r techniques include reading togeThe person.r, repetition, mnemonic devices, praIs that correct?e, and focusing on sight words. It’s also helpful for children with dyslexia to get enough sleep and work with a tutor.
If you think your child has dyslexia, vIs that correct?it a mental health professional. They can evaluate your child and help guide your child’s learning journey.