Love´s Labour Lost – Is It Dyslexia? Of Course Not!
EmPower Research
July 16, 2008
By Sangeeta Ghosh Dastidar
Let us join a class where kids aged eight happily spell ´Pots´ and ´Tops´ and obviously they are objects distinct from each other; anyone with a more than average IQ knows that. But, when these letters seem to read the same, the result is ´utter chaos´ in perception and in understanding. The above episode could be segmented as a syndrome now popularly understood as ´Dyslexia´. The symptoms of Dyslexia as a 'specific learning difficulty' may show symptoms such as difficulty in writing and spelling, sometimes difficulty with reading and working with numbers.
A dyslexic child or adult may have difficulties putting things in order, following instructions, and may confuse left and right and reverse letters and numbers. Can we then draw an analogy to a colour-blind individual? Such a person is normal in all other respects but cannot distinguish colours (to a greater or smaller degree). Likewise, Dyslexia has been referred to as 'letter-blindness', in casual mention. A dyslexic child or adult does not see words, with their letters in order, as most people see them. They will have difficulty remembering words, working out how to say and spell new words, and their eyes may move unevenly over the words as they read. Alternatively, if willing to understand, an independent report from a dyslexia specialist could make a difference in helping to bring a dyslexic child out of a ´cocoon´ when defeated by the ´onslaught of words whizzing around them´.
Is It Possible to Track or Identify Dyslexic Symptoms? Perhaps, Yes.
More often than not, a potential dyslexic child can appear to be very bright and intelligent but when it comes to reading, writing, spellings that is when the ´trigger signals´ need to be diagnosed as the child will be seen lacking in these acumens. One of the best ways to hone such children is to encourage learning through experience, observation, demonstrations, experimentation, and visual aids. The result could be a good grade in verbal skill test; the same may not be true for written exam scores!
The bigger surprise is that dyslexic children can be very talented in art, drama, music, sports, mechanics, story-telling, designing, et al. And against popular belief, a ´dyslexic´ may have high IQ although the academic scores might not be proof enough. At school he may be labelled as lazy or careless due to his symptoms and this is the most worrying aspect as such a child may then develop low self-esteem due to his inability to cope up with the educational system that is!
A close watch on a child or an adult on the following four categories could lead to a preliminary check to identify the problem if it does exist.
1) Reading (and spelling): The four indications are as follows:
The child is often confused by letters, numbers, words, sequences, or verbal explanations. The child´s reading or writing shows repetitions, additions, transpositions (´b´ instead of´ d´, ´p´ instead of ´q´), omissions, substitutions, and reversals in letters, numbers, and/or words.
The child may feel that the letters or words to be moving or jumping around on the page when he is reading or writing.
The child reads and rereads with little comprehension.
The child seems to have difficulty with vision, yet eye exams do not reveal a problem.
2) Writing (motor skills): The following indications need to be accessed:
The child has trouble with writing or copying in class.
The child is clumsy, uncoordinated while writing, handwriting may be illegible.
The child can be ambidextrous and often confuses left/right, over/under.
3) Hearing and Speech:
The child is easily distracted by sounds or he may hear things that have not been said.
The child may face difficulty in speaking out what he is thinking (cannot put thoughts into words).
The child may mispronounce words (e.g. ´God´ instead of ´Dog´), transpose words while speaking, leave sentences incomplete or take long halts during his speech.
4) Memory:
The child has poor memory for facts, sequences, information that has not been experienced.
The child has a memory that can be very good for things that have been experienced.
Dyslexic Causes: Though the exact causes of this syndrome is yet to be fully understood, it is thought to be inherited. More often than not, in a normal school or home environment, it is difficult to realize if a child is actually dyslexic or not as it is not a visible syndrome akin to say someone in a ´wheel chair´. The result is that such a child often gets perceived as ´lazy´ or ´slow´ and all hell breaks loose!
Dyslexia is understood to be an inherited condition which appears to affect more boys than girls. This genetic component has been thought to play an important role in developing this condition. Experts consider that in dyslexic patients, structural differences in the way the brain is wired up during the development stage can explain why an individual could be dyslexic. A shortfall in a special pathway between the eye and the brain – the ´magnocellular pathway´ – in dyslexic individuals could be one theory. Many people with dyslexia have also been found to be lacking in omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids.
Remedies:
Basics: In a general overview, it has been understood through preliminary studies that the use of Omega-3 in the treatment of Attention Deficit Disorder, depression, aggression, and other behavioral problems have been promising. This could be because Omega-3 Fatty Acids are said to be very important in brain development. When found in high concentrations in the brain, Essential Fatty Acids are thought to aid in the transmission of nerve impulses and a deficiency can lead to an impaired ability to learn and recall information. Also, Omega-3 deficiencies have been associated with dyslexia, violence, learning disorders, and hyperactivity. In addition, a controlled study in 1999 showed excellent results in treating bipolar disorder and in controlling mood stability.
A current interest in the use of Evening Primrose oil for enhancing intellectual performance in children is yet to be validated by rigorous research but follows the basic understanding that essential fatty acids are important as cellular structural elements and as precursors of prostaglandins. Scientifically termed as Oenothera biennis L, Family: Onagraceae – this North American plant version is more commonly used for general health and well being. Essential fatty acids are the biologically active parts of polyunsaturated fats and cannot be manufactured by the body and must be provided by the diet in relatively large amounts.
Advanced Basics: A 2007 study based on a series of randomized, controlled Homeopathy-Clinical Trials tried to judge the effectiveness of Sunflower therapy for children with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia. However, further research is required to verify these findings, and should include a control group receiving a dummy treatment to exclude placebo effects.
Alternative Therapy and Homeopathy: According to the holistic view in homeopathic treatment, dyslexia is a constitutional disorder and is considered an outcome of a constitutional problem (genetic factors). Homoeopathy has been recommended for the management of dyslexia and the natural elements that comprise homeopathy medicament have shown remedial measures in dealing with dyslexics. Some of the most commonly prescribed homeopathy adjuncts are Anacardium, Aethusa, A gn, Conium, Chamomilla, Lyco, Nux Vom, Nux-m, Kalibrom, Phosphorous, Picric Acid, and Zinc Mosch among others. According to Dr B.C. Roopashree, a North Bangalore-based General Physician and a practicing homeopath, these remedies should be strictly prescribed under the guidance of a qualified doctor. Dr Roopashree explained that more often than not parents of dyslexic children loose patience during the course of the treatment as they expect quicker results. Dr Roopashree added that, ´The treatment usually follows for a few years´. She explained that based on the patient´s constitution, the patient is treated and observed for the first 15 days; then on, a 40 per cent remedy could be achieved in the first one year with a chance of 70 per cent cure in the subsequent years.
Special modified teaching methods and educational environment, special tutoring, summer school, speech therapy, or placement in special classes help dyslexics to cope better. Homeopathic treatment can definitely play a complementary role in the treatment of dyslexic disorder helping these patients to cope with their problems in a better way.
And Research Is On: A Report on Discoveries and Achievements at the University of California, Volume 7, Number 4: January, 1999 tried to correlate the impact of ´Sound´ on processing information. Researchers at the University Of California, San Francisco, stated in a study, that they have significantly increased the speed with which adult rats process sound, offering important new evidence that the basic rate at which the brain responds to information can be sharply altered by experience. Their findings pave the way for studies aimed at understanding, and perhaps manipulating, the mechanisms that cause the slow sound-processing difficulties associated with language impairments and dyslexia in children, and such disorders as autism and stroke.
Cranio-Sacral Therapy/Cranial Osteopathy
Osteopath William Sutherland in the UK discovered that intrinsic movements of the bones in the skull are inextricably linked with physical, mental, and emotional health. It is an exceptionally gentle form of therapy using light touch. This influences deeply held patterns of disease which accumulate throughout life as a result of injury and illness, and become held into the body tissues. It has the potential to transform patterns of restriction and resistance at a very fundamental level, thereby eliminating disease and restoring health. It is so gentle it can be used for babies and young children as well as the elderly. According to the Cranial Sacral Therapy Association of the UK, dyslexia can be treated through this mode along with other ailments.
Dyslexia therefore in ´real terms´ is definitely not a 'disease' that someone should or can be cured of. It is a type of mind, like any other, with its own particular strengths and weaknesses. We all have different talents – things we are good at and things we find hard. Dyslexic children and teenagers find spelling and getting things in the right order very hard, but also have other areas in which they excel. The important thing is to keep up their confidence!
Patent Pending and Parent Tending Is the Name of the Dyslexic Game!
As ironic as it might seem, it is the parents of dyslexic children who more often loose out on patience throughout the therapy mode and this de-fuels the child´s challenge to come out of the dyslexic mind. If a child is found to be dyslexic, it is very important for the parent not to feel that he or she is doomed to failure! There are well-developed courses of learning which can be used to bring the child up to the average level for their age in the areas they have difficulty in. Given proper help and nurturing, in most cases a dyslexic child can succeed at school at a level roughly equal to his or her classmates. Moreover, dyslexic children often have talents in other areas, which can raise their self-esteem if encouraged. Good physical co-ordination, lateral/creative thinking and artistic skills are often areas in which they may excel. So parents do not D-E-S-P-A-I-R , all you need is to - E-N- C- O- U -R -A-G-E!
Let us join a class where kids aged eight happily spell ´Pots´ and ´Tops´ and obviously they are objects distinct from each other; anyone with a more than average IQ knows that. But, when these letters seem to read the same, the result is ´utter chaos´ in perception and in understanding. The above episode could be segmented as a syndrome now popularly understood as ´Dyslexia´. The symptoms of Dyslexia as a 'specific learning difficulty' may show symptoms such as difficulty in writing and spelling, sometimes difficulty with reading and working with numbers.
A dyslexic child or adult may have difficulties putting things in order, following instructions, and may confuse left and right and reverse letters and numbers. Can we then draw an analogy to a colour-blind individual? Such a person is normal in all other respects but cannot distinguish colours (to a greater or smaller degree). Likewise, Dyslexia has been referred to as 'letter-blindness', in casual mention. A dyslexic child or adult does not see words, with their letters in order, as most people see them. They will have difficulty remembering words, working out how to say and spell new words, and their eyes may move unevenly over the words as they read. Alternatively, if willing to understand, an independent report from a dyslexia specialist could make a difference in helping to bring a dyslexic child out of a ´cocoon´ when defeated by the ´onslaught of words whizzing around them´.
Is It Possible to Track or Identify Dyslexic Symptoms? Perhaps, Yes.
More often than not, a potential dyslexic child can appear to be very bright and intelligent but when it comes to reading, writing, spellings that is when the ´trigger signals´ need to be diagnosed as the child will be seen lacking in these acumens. One of the best ways to hone such children is to encourage learning through experience, observation, demonstrations, experimentation, and visual aids. The result could be a good grade in verbal skill test; the same may not be true for written exam scores!
The bigger surprise is that dyslexic children can be very talented in art, drama, music, sports, mechanics, story-telling, designing, et al. And against popular belief, a ´dyslexic´ may have high IQ although the academic scores might not be proof enough. At school he may be labelled as lazy or careless due to his symptoms and this is the most worrying aspect as such a child may then develop low self-esteem due to his inability to cope up with the educational system that is!
A close watch on a child or an adult on the following four categories could lead to a preliminary check to identify the problem if it does exist.
1) Reading (and spelling): The four indications are as follows:
The child is often confused by letters, numbers, words, sequences, or verbal explanations. The child´s reading or writing shows repetitions, additions, transpositions (´b´ instead of´ d´, ´p´ instead of ´q´), omissions, substitutions, and reversals in letters, numbers, and/or words.
The child may feel that the letters or words to be moving or jumping around on the page when he is reading or writing.
The child reads and rereads with little comprehension.
The child seems to have difficulty with vision, yet eye exams do not reveal a problem.
2) Writing (motor skills): The following indications need to be accessed:
The child has trouble with writing or copying in class.
The child is clumsy, uncoordinated while writing, handwriting may be illegible.
The child can be ambidextrous and often confuses left/right, over/under.
3) Hearing and Speech:
The child is easily distracted by sounds or he may hear things that have not been said.
The child may face difficulty in speaking out what he is thinking (cannot put thoughts into words).
The child may mispronounce words (e.g. ´God´ instead of ´Dog´), transpose words while speaking, leave sentences incomplete or take long halts during his speech.
4) Memory:
The child has poor memory for facts, sequences, information that has not been experienced.
The child has a memory that can be very good for things that have been experienced.
Dyslexic Causes: Though the exact causes of this syndrome is yet to be fully understood, it is thought to be inherited. More often than not, in a normal school or home environment, it is difficult to realize if a child is actually dyslexic or not as it is not a visible syndrome akin to say someone in a ´wheel chair´. The result is that such a child often gets perceived as ´lazy´ or ´slow´ and all hell breaks loose!
Dyslexia is understood to be an inherited condition which appears to affect more boys than girls. This genetic component has been thought to play an important role in developing this condition. Experts consider that in dyslexic patients, structural differences in the way the brain is wired up during the development stage can explain why an individual could be dyslexic. A shortfall in a special pathway between the eye and the brain – the ´magnocellular pathway´ – in dyslexic individuals could be one theory. Many people with dyslexia have also been found to be lacking in omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids.
Remedies:
Basics: In a general overview, it has been understood through preliminary studies that the use of Omega-3 in the treatment of Attention Deficit Disorder, depression, aggression, and other behavioral problems have been promising. This could be because Omega-3 Fatty Acids are said to be very important in brain development. When found in high concentrations in the brain, Essential Fatty Acids are thought to aid in the transmission of nerve impulses and a deficiency can lead to an impaired ability to learn and recall information. Also, Omega-3 deficiencies have been associated with dyslexia, violence, learning disorders, and hyperactivity. In addition, a controlled study in 1999 showed excellent results in treating bipolar disorder and in controlling mood stability.
A current interest in the use of Evening Primrose oil for enhancing intellectual performance in children is yet to be validated by rigorous research but follows the basic understanding that essential fatty acids are important as cellular structural elements and as precursors of prostaglandins. Scientifically termed as Oenothera biennis L, Family: Onagraceae – this North American plant version is more commonly used for general health and well being. Essential fatty acids are the biologically active parts of polyunsaturated fats and cannot be manufactured by the body and must be provided by the diet in relatively large amounts.
Advanced Basics: A 2007 study based on a series of randomized, controlled Homeopathy-Clinical Trials tried to judge the effectiveness of Sunflower therapy for children with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia. However, further research is required to verify these findings, and should include a control group receiving a dummy treatment to exclude placebo effects.
Alternative Therapy and Homeopathy: According to the holistic view in homeopathic treatment, dyslexia is a constitutional disorder and is considered an outcome of a constitutional problem (genetic factors). Homoeopathy has been recommended for the management of dyslexia and the natural elements that comprise homeopathy medicament have shown remedial measures in dealing with dyslexics. Some of the most commonly prescribed homeopathy adjuncts are Anacardium, Aethusa, A gn, Conium, Chamomilla, Lyco, Nux Vom, Nux-m, Kalibrom, Phosphorous, Picric Acid, and Zinc Mosch among others. According to Dr B.C. Roopashree, a North Bangalore-based General Physician and a practicing homeopath, these remedies should be strictly prescribed under the guidance of a qualified doctor. Dr Roopashree explained that more often than not parents of dyslexic children loose patience during the course of the treatment as they expect quicker results. Dr Roopashree added that, ´The treatment usually follows for a few years´. She explained that based on the patient´s constitution, the patient is treated and observed for the first 15 days; then on, a 40 per cent remedy could be achieved in the first one year with a chance of 70 per cent cure in the subsequent years.
Special modified teaching methods and educational environment, special tutoring, summer school, speech therapy, or placement in special classes help dyslexics to cope better. Homeopathic treatment can definitely play a complementary role in the treatment of dyslexic disorder helping these patients to cope with their problems in a better way.
And Research Is On: A Report on Discoveries and Achievements at the University of California, Volume 7, Number 4: January, 1999 tried to correlate the impact of ´Sound´ on processing information. Researchers at the University Of California, San Francisco, stated in a study, that they have significantly increased the speed with which adult rats process sound, offering important new evidence that the basic rate at which the brain responds to information can be sharply altered by experience. Their findings pave the way for studies aimed at understanding, and perhaps manipulating, the mechanisms that cause the slow sound-processing difficulties associated with language impairments and dyslexia in children, and such disorders as autism and stroke.
Cranio-Sacral Therapy/Cranial Osteopathy
Osteopath William Sutherland in the UK discovered that intrinsic movements of the bones in the skull are inextricably linked with physical, mental, and emotional health. It is an exceptionally gentle form of therapy using light touch. This influences deeply held patterns of disease which accumulate throughout life as a result of injury and illness, and become held into the body tissues. It has the potential to transform patterns of restriction and resistance at a very fundamental level, thereby eliminating disease and restoring health. It is so gentle it can be used for babies and young children as well as the elderly. According to the Cranial Sacral Therapy Association of the UK, dyslexia can be treated through this mode along with other ailments.
Dyslexia therefore in ´real terms´ is definitely not a 'disease' that someone should or can be cured of. It is a type of mind, like any other, with its own particular strengths and weaknesses. We all have different talents – things we are good at and things we find hard. Dyslexic children and teenagers find spelling and getting things in the right order very hard, but also have other areas in which they excel. The important thing is to keep up their confidence!
Patent Pending and Parent Tending Is the Name of the Dyslexic Game!
As ironic as it might seem, it is the parents of dyslexic children who more often loose out on patience throughout the therapy mode and this de-fuels the child´s challenge to come out of the dyslexic mind. If a child is found to be dyslexic, it is very important for the parent not to feel that he or she is doomed to failure! There are well-developed courses of learning which can be used to bring the child up to the average level for their age in the areas they have difficulty in. Given proper help and nurturing, in most cases a dyslexic child can succeed at school at a level roughly equal to his or her classmates. Moreover, dyslexic children often have talents in other areas, which can raise their self-esteem if encouraged. Good physical co-ordination, lateral/creative thinking and artistic skills are often areas in which they may excel. So parents do not D-E-S-P-A-I-R , all you need is to - E-N- C- O- U -R -A-G-E!
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