Have you noticed your child is having difficulties reading? They might find it hard to learn nursery rhymes, or be struggling to identify speech sounds and how these link to letters and words. Are you starting to wonder if they might have dyslexia? This could be the reason, however, not all reading difficulties are caused by this condition. There is no one way to decide if a child has dyslexia, so it is important to have your child properly assessed by qualified professionals before taking the next step in helping them develop their literacy skills.
When you have tried hard to help your child learn but they are still struggling to read or are falling behind in school, it can be devastating to watch. Our team of speech pathologists at Chatterbox understand that all you want for your child is for them to enjoy the reading experience and be able to reach their learning potential. That is why we are here to help you and your child as you progress through the assessment, diagnosis, and support process.
What Is Dyslexia?
This learning disorder results in difficulties with reading due to problems with the processing of words or numbers. Dyslexia is not a disease, nor is it an indication of low intelligence or laziness. In fact, many people’s intelligence is normal or above average, and they are often highly motivated and determined. Children are born with this neurological condition, and it is often seen in more than one member of the family. It is a language processing disorder, so it can affect all forms of language including speech and the written word.
Dyslexia occurs when a brain processes information unlike other people’s. It doesn’t work as efficiently during the reading process and different parts of the brain are used, which has been seen in research studies and scans as a person reads. This leads to difficulty recognising phonemes, which are the fundamental speech sounds, and confusion when connecting these to letters and words.
It can take a child with dyslexia a lot of concentration, energy, and time to sound out words. Because of this, they lose the word’s meaning, are unable to comprehend what they are reading, spell correctly, or express themselves. They may also find it hard to remember written lists, numbers or the right names for things, and giving or following directions can be tricky.
How Can Chatterbox Help Your Child?
Having any of these issues does not always point to dyslexia, but assessment is important. You can begin with talking to your child’s doctor, and they may refer you to a psychologist or a speech pathologist. When you come to Chatterbox, our friendly speech pathologists will provide a comprehensive evaluation.
Once we have assessed and identified your child’s specific issues, we will create a plan that incorporates appropriate speech therapy for kids and activities to develop their reading, spelling, and speaking skills. This can also involve the provision of learning aids, computer software, and tips on how to make alterations to a child’s schooling to cater for their needs.
We also provide emotional support, which is essential as their struggles can feel embarrassing and discouraging. We work with your child so they can see that they are smart and worthy of help. Children with dyslexia deserve to know their strengths and to not feel limited in their academic and career options. Chatterbox’s team will also help you and the people important in your child’s life to learn how to assist your child and enable them to grow and develop their skills.
Chatterbox Is Here To Support You
If your child is struggling to read, they are probably feeling frustrated and exhausted, and may be slipping behind their classmates in school. Unfortunately, dyslexia is not something a child grows out of.
Many children try to hide their struggles and find ways to get by, and sometimes a diagnosis is not made until teen years, or even adulthood. Though support can make a difference at any age, early intervention by trained and experienced professionals can greatly improve a person’s learning experience and outcomes, and help them enjoy and benefit from reading.
At Chatterbox, our friendly, qualified, and experienced speech pathologists are passionate about helping people with dyslexia. If you or your child’s school are noticing issues with their reading abilities, join us at Chatterbox so that we can work with you to support them on their learning journey.