Dyslexia overview
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
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Overview
Dyslexia is a learning disability that manifests primarily as a difficulty with written language, particularly with reading and spelling. It is separate and distinct from reading difficulties resulting from other causes, such as a non-neurological deficiency with vision or hearing, or from poor or inadequate reading instruction.[1] Evidence suggests that dyslexia results from differences in how the brain processes written and/or verbal language. Although dyslexia is the result of a neurological difference, it is not an intellectual disability. Dyslexia occurs at all levels of intelligence; sub-average, average, above average, and highly gifted.[2]
Causes
Developmental reading disorder (DRD), or dyslexia, occurs when there is a problem in areas of the brain that help interpret language. It is not caused by vision problems. The disorder is a specific information processing problem that does not interfere with one's ability to think or to understand complex ideas. Most people with DRD have normal intelligence, and many have above-average intelligence.
DRD may appear in combination with developmental writing disorder and developmental arithmetic disorder. All of these involve using symbols to convey information. These conditions may appear alone or in any combination.
DRD often runs in families.
Diagnosis
MRI
Functional MRI (fMRI) studies have shown changes in the brains of dyslexic children and adults with phonics tutoring, along with improved performance on tests of phonemic awareness and text decoding.[3] [4] Functional MRI studies have also shown changes in the brain and spelling improvement of dyslexic children taughtspelling phonetically in an orthographic manner. [5]
One factor that characterises the field of dyslexia treatment is the incessant flow of alternative therapeutic approaches. These controversial treatments include sensory, dietary, and movement-based approaches as well as many others. [6]
Treatment
Primary Prevention
Learning disorders, such as DRD, tend to run in families. Affected families should make every effort to recognize existing problems early. Early intervention will provide the best possible outcome.
References
- ↑ Stanovich, KE. (1988) Explaining the differences between the dyslexic and the garden-variety poor reader: the phonological-core variable-difference model. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 21(10):590-604.
- ↑ "A Conversation with Sally Shaywitz, M.D., author of Overcoming Dyslexia". October 15, 2007. Retrieved 2008-04-21.
- ↑ Shaywitz, B. (2004). "Development of left occipitotemporal systems for skilled reading following a phonologically based intervention in children" (PDF). Biological Psychiatry. 55: 926–933. Unknown parameter
|coauthors=ignored (help) - ↑ Eden, G.F. (2004). "Neural Changes following Remediation in Adult Developmental Dyslexia". Neuron. 44 (3): 411–422. Retrieved 2007-07-18. Unknown parameter
|coauthors=ignored (help) - ↑ Dahms, Joel. (2006). "Spelling Out Dyslexia". Northwest Science & Technology.
- ↑ Reid, Gavin (2005). Dyslexia A Complete Guide for Parents (PDF). Chichester: John Wiley and Sons. p. 213. ISBN 0 470 86312 9.