This article, entitled Dyslexia Symptoms and Current Treatments comes from Dr. Phyllis Books at reversingdyslexia.com.
The International Dyslexia Association defines dyslexia as “a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and / or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities.” Dyslexia symptoms can manifest at any age, but most often appear in young children.
Those with dyslexia have trouble with most aspects of language, including reading silently and aloud, writing, and spelling. Some may also have problems understanding what they hear. Dyslexia causes difficulty in school and at work, and it can contribute to low confidence and self-esteem issues, no matter the age of the person affected.
According to the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy, dyslexia is the most common learning challenge in the United States today, affecting up to 17% of school-aged children. Other sources claim the prevalence is 20%. Dyslexia is not related to IQ—in fact, many people with dyslexia have high IQs but don’t test well, so are mistakenly thought to have low IQs.
Often, dyslexia symptoms are overlooked in the school setting because the student is labeled as disruptive or withdrawn. Through great effort, students may stay close enough to the rest of the class that no one offers dyslexia treatment or support—teachers may simply say the student isn’t trying hard enough.
As the child with dyslexia grows to adulthood, he or she compensates for the challenge and is often extremely personable and helpful, which is one attempt to hide dyslexia. Other adults with dyslexia simply avoid reading and writing, or procrastinate doing them.
If you or your child exhibits more than one of the following symptoms, have a dyslexia test performed as soon as possible.
Children younger than five years old:
• Developmental delays such as walking or talking late, or difficulty with fine motor skills. May be clumsy, even in familiar surroundings.
• Reluctance when speaking, or perhaps continuing baby talk longer than age two or three.
• Trouble telling a story familiar to him or her, often looking to an adult for help in finding the right word.
• Slow to pick up new concepts or ideas, such as learning numbers or colors.
• Confusion or difficulty recalling something he or she has just learned.
Children in elementary school:
• Reluctance to read or write, especially in front of others.
• Illegible handwriting that may not stay within the lines. Lack of control of writing instruments.
• Difficulty reading aloud and comprehending what was read.
• Numerous spelling errors or letter reversals when writing.
• Trouble remembering facts, even if he or she just learned them a few minutes before.
High school students:
• Difficulty completing even short writing or reading assignments.
• Lack of vocabulary skills and inability to recall words learned recently.
• Intense dislike of reading and writing, going to extreme lengths to avoid or delay doing them.
• Letter or word transpositions, poor spelling.
• Trouble completing higher-level math problems, especially word problems.
Adults:
• Reliance on mnemonic devices instead of reading and writing information. Seldom forgets a face or place.
• Extreme avoidance of reading and writing.
• Highly-developed spatial skills to compensate for lack of reading and writing skills.
• Poor spelling with letter or word reversal.
• Difficulty with math and may count on fingers or use hash marks to complete simple problems.
After screening and diagnosis are complete, it’s time to consider treatment options. Most of the current dyslexia treatments focus on teaching the student or adult how to compensate for the dyslexia rather than cure it. One of the first treatment avenues dyslexia specialists will pursue is ensuring that any underlying vision problems are diagnosed and corrected. While this will not cure the dyslexia, it may play a significant part in treating the symptoms.
Dyslexia specialists focus on teaching children and adults one-on-one in a structured environment, helping them use multiple senses to read and write. There are several programs available, taught by trained teachers or tutors, that teach people with dyslexia to read and write through personalized, methodical techniques to develop word recognition and spelling skills. For example, an in-depth study of phonics may help an elementary school student.
Schools may implement an IEP for students with dyslexia through their special education departments. If the student stays in the regular classroom, teachers may offer accommodations such as extra time on tests. Extracurricular treatments, such as occupational therapy, tinted-lens glasses, and medications may also prove helpful, but are not curative.
However, as noted earlier, traditional treatments teach people with dyslexia how to cope with the challenges, but do not truly treat or cure it. Books Neural Therapy™ addresses learning and health challenges by incorporating a multidisciplinary approach toward the systems of the body. By addressing various stages of brain development and correcting weaknesses throughout (mechanical, neurological, and emotional), Books Neural Therapy™ helps upgrade the entire system, thus increasing efficiency with less wear and tear on the body.
The motto of BNT™ is “first things first”, and dyslexia treatment begins with building a healthy foundation. Just like a building, that foundation needs to be built correctly—and in stages—or it won’t be able to withstand stress. A thorough case history of dyslexia symptoms is taken, followed by neurological, structural, educational, and cognitive testing. Each person is unique, and the treatment takes into account his or her strengths and weaknesses as well as goals.
The nervous system coordinates body movements and brain function, and is one of the first body processes BNT™ addresses. Gross motor skills (e.g. running and jumping) need to be in good working order BEFORE fine motor skills (e.g. handwriting) can function at their best. Finding the communication breakdowns in the circuitry (the nervous system) and then rewiring and upgrading the neurology via particular tracts (e.g. spinal thalamic tract) help the entire person operate with more ease, efficiency, and confidence.
This is accomplished in a gentle, hands on, non-invasive treatment addressing various areas of the body, with emphasis on the head. Working with the eyes, ears, and TMJ (jaw joint) allows the trained Books Neural Therapy™ practitioner to address sensory input and help upgrade the functioning and coordination of various senses. This process cures dyslexia by providing missing building blocks to create a cohesive and smoothly integrated nervous system.
In biology, psychology, and neuroscience, there is much information available on proper development. Books Neural Therapy™ keeps up to date on advances in neurosciences and incorporates new findings into the protocol, so the dyslexia treatment and cure is as effective as possible.
