Your child might have dyslexia if, compared to other children of the same age, he or she has trouble making sense of stories, reading, solving problems, and writing.
Even while in preschool, the child might have difficulty in recognizing rhymes, reciting the letters of the alphabet, counting, and naming colors. Here’s what you should do once you observe these challenges in your child.
1. Do Some Research
They say that knowledge is power, and this cannot be truer than when you have all the information you can gather about your child’s condition. Learn as much as you can concerning the disease, but do not stop there.
There are other learning disabilities, as well. With the knowledge that you’ll have gained, you will be better-equipped since you will know what to do next and the resources at your disposal, which you can use in supporting your child.
It will also be wise of you to interact with experts and other parents with dyslexic children, seeking their advice. That way, you will have an easier time guiding your child and allaying their fears.
2. Act As Soon As Possible
Dyslexia is not like other diseases that get better over time. Your child’s difficulties will progressively worsen if you delay intervening. You can make your child’s learning experience much more comfortable and enjoyable through early intervention.
Your input will also make a difference in the child’s life later on since s/he will access the services and help s/he needs to navigate through life. The positive changes you envision when you act on the condition will only come faster the earlier you start.
Get help as soon as your child is in kindergarten, as waiting until later might render the child unable to keep abreast with other children.
3. Collaborate With Your Child’s Teachers
Your child’s tutors might also have noticed the difficulties your child has. You must meet with them and find a way the school can evaluate your child. It is your child’s legal right to get help, and the school will have to create an action plan for this.
The evaluation can also happen privately, after which your child will get an Individualized Education Plan with provisions such as doing tests in more conducive environments than the class, or having more time than other children when doing examinations.
Staying in close communication with the teachers will ensure they meet your child’s needs.
4. Make Learning Enjoyable
You will need to be creative, and through constant practice, you can create a routine for your child to learn more efficiently. Since your child will often feel discomfort when reading, your role will be to remove their uneasiness and to keep them from feeling humiliated. You will not criticize your child but encourage them as much as possible.
Engaging your child in reading activities can involve the following: listening to audiobooks with the child reading along, re-reading your child’s favorite books, and playing word games.
You can also use nursery rhymes, set aside some time every day where everyone in the family reads, and talk about what you have learned together. There is a variety of fun learning activities you can use at home. Your child’s support group can help with formulating the best strategies.
These are but a few of the steps you can take to support your dyslexic child. It is commendable that you are aware of how much your child suffers. How committed you are, and the support you give your child will determine how much help s/he can get.
