Dyslexia is characterized by a child’s difficulty to identify letters correctly, resulting in problems with reading, spelling, and writing. If left undiagnosed, the child can go on grade after grade without really learning the things he needs to learn, and he risks being labelled a dummy or a rebellious kid when in fact he just could not make sense of the letters.

If you suspect your child to have dyslexia, these common questions might help you sort things out:

1. Is it possible to teach a dyslexic child to read and spell at his grade level?

While there is no quick fix, it certainly is possible. It might take longer than it would to teach a child who does not have dyslexia. For example, a child suffering from dyslexia might require 1 to 3 years for him to learn to read and spell like his other classmates, and this would depend on the level of severity of his case and the frequency of remediation, among other factors.

2. How does a parent detect a reading problem as dyslexia or only a developmental lag? After all, children develop at different rates.

Experts respond to this question with a warning: many people use developmental lag as an excuse despite their having felt there to be a problem at an earlier stage. The parent may sometimes choose to ignore their intuition and postpone seeking help for the child. When it comes to learning to read, time is an essential factor, and the earlier dyslexia is diagnosed, the easier it will be for both parent and child. In fact, studies show that the most important time to have help is on a child’s first years of school. This means that if your son or daughter is struggling to learn to read, immediate action might be your wisest course.

3. Which early intervention approach is most effective?

While there are many early intervention approaches applied to children with reading difficulties, studies have shown some ways to be more effective compared to others. For example, systematic as well as explicit instruction in awareness of the sounds of letters, or what we call phonics, were more effective compared to approaches that were not as explicit. This also includes constant reading of the same material to enhance fluency, as well as direct instruction in reading comprehension and vocabulary.

4. Do dyslexic children require special education?

Special education is designed for children with special needs. Certainly, children with dyslexia require more time and attention compared to their non-dyslexic counterparts. However, proper instruction in reading may actually help minimize the need for actually sending these dyslexic children to special education schools. This may be helped by having well-designed screenings for early identification, and therefore, early intervention programs. For example, a multisensory approach to instruction in reading has been seen to be effective in teaching reading to both dyslexic and non-dyslexic children. It begins with teaching awareness of the sounds in a word by breaking it into its individual phonemes. The children are also taught to combine the different individual sounds into a new word. These are also taught in a way that it utilizes all the senses in order to store the information better.

5. Do children with dyslexia have a disadvantage at succeeding in the world?

If left untreated, they will certainly be left at a disadvantage. But when they are given the attention and intervention they need, they can go on to soar in life just like anybody can. In fact, many great scientists and artists reportedly had dyslexia, including Albert Einstein, Leonardo Da Vinci, and even the legendary Walt Disney. This shows that this difficulty is not a deterrent for the genius in their hearts to soar.

From these questions, we believe you can see that your child having dyslexia is not the end of the world. In fact, when done right, you will likely enjoy a great world of wonders at what your child can do, just like all the other geniuses before him. Just be sure you maximize the time you have and get help as early as possible and from the most effective intervention methods as possible.