Dyslexia is a developmental reading disability in which a person's brain does not properly recognize and process certain symbols. A child with dyslexia will have trouble with reading comprehension and will not have an extended vocabulary. A diagnosis of dyslexia is never something you want for your child, and with the proper prevention techniques, you can reduce his or her chances of developing this disability.
Signs
Dyslexia manifests itself in a wide variety of ways. People with dyslexia may have trouble with reading comprehension, writing, telling right from left, and expressing themselves verbally. Thoughts are often not fully constructed, so causing dyslexic speakers to become frustrated and flustered.
Prevention
Teaching children beginner language and reading skills prior to starting school has been shown to prevent dyslexia. Studies indicate that placing your child in an early support program six months before entering kindergarten can make him or her less susceptible to reading and spelling learning disabilities, including dyslexia. One such program is "Hear, Listen, and Learn," in which children learn sound, rhyme, and syllable recognition through language games.
Families are also encouraged to participate in preparing children early. Parents using the "Let's Read!" program spend 15 minutes per day reading aloud with their child. Students of this program learn to recognize the alphabet, form sentences, and identify syllables. While the games and activities provided by the program are fun, they also prepare children for school, where they will be assigned specific tasks. Parents and children reading together has been shown to help develop phonological abilities and language skills. By extension, this prevents children from developing dyslexia.
Investing time and attention in your child's early childhood education can prevent the development of dyslexia. If you have a family history of dyslexia, it is wise to take some of these steps, as your children can genetically inherit the disability.
