Science Identifies the Effective Treatment for Dyslexia

Only in the past 20 years, through f-MRI research, scientists have been able to discover WHAT dyslexia is, what causes dyslexia, and what we need to do to enable dyslexics to read and write effectively. The good news is, now we know. For the most reliable links and useful information, visit www.interdys.org. For more nitty-gritty, wallow through the 40+ page journal article in the March 2011 issue of Pediatrics!

The bad news is that the information is really so new, it has not filtered to the classroom. In an era of cost cutting, where administrative careers hinge on TODAY's budget, there is little motivation for large academic organizations to invest in the future of a minority (10-20%) of students. While there is a whole lot of talk about investing in the future, there is really no meaningful, broad based action. NCLB "no child left behind" has given parents the false impression that schools are expected to provide what each child needs to be successful; that is far from the truth, and nationally the courts are siding with the schools.

Dyslexia is diagnosable by the end of Kindergarten. In fact, two significant indicators can be measured in preschool, before formal reading instruction has even begun. Treatment for dyslexia, as stated by the American Academy of Pediatrics (Pediatrics, March 2011), is a specific method of reading instruction provided by specialists trained in Multisensory Structured Language (often called Orton-Gillingham methodology) and given 4-5 hours per week until the student is reading independently. The combination of the method and intensity of instruction is proven to literally change the brain's efficiency in handling written language.

What AAP asserts is NOT a treatment for dyslexia: medication, vision therapy, "guided reading," "whole language," general special education, "theory" based instruction, repeating a grade, or "time to develop." Untreated, dyslexia can result in life long learning disabilities, behavior and emotional problems.

There is still a lot of misinformation circulating about dyslexia, even within academic and government institutions. The place for parents and educators to start, to find out more, is www.interdys.org.

BLOG topics to come: Why is dyslexia a national issue? How/Who will diagnose dyslexia? What is Multisensory Structured Language aka Orton-Gillingham methodology? What+When+HowOften=Independence! Pros and Cons of IEP, Value of a 504, ADHD or Dyslexia?