Disability Of Dyslexia In Children

Dyslexia is a unique disability that causes many children difficulty during their educational process. It is a hindrance in the developmental stage of children. Dyslexia can be found in children from multiple types of backgrounds. However, it is not limited in its state as a child’s disability, for it stays with a person through adulthood also. Several questions need to be answered many say.
Firstly, what exactly is dyslexia? Somewhere between five and seventeen percent of the American population is believed to have dyslexia. An explanation for the inconsistency in the percentage is due to the fact that there is uncertainty among professionals about the definition of dyslexia (Ulrich 4). Throughout the years, dyslexia has been given
Researchers have been able to discover more about the disability of dyslexia through MRI and PET scans. These techniques allow scientists to follow the brain’s movement and gather new information about which areas of the brain are not in proper, functioning order. This data has revealed what was feared. The left hemisphere of the brain (the side devoted to reading and writing skills) performs differently in dyslexic’s brains (Silverstein, Silverstein, and Nunn 21). One theory states that dyslexia may be the result of slight vision damage. David J. Heeger, Ph. D., a professor at Stanford University, was involved of the creation of a small study of dyslexics done at Standford. Heeger and others found that the “level of activity in the visual cortex, the portion of the brain devoted to processing visual signals, appears to predict the speed at which dyslexics can read” (“Dyslexia and the Brain” 2). However, at the end of the experimentation Heeger stated that although the evidence was extremely persuasive about visual shortage linked with dyslexia there is just not enough information to support whether the deficiency causes dyslexia or is simply an indicator for it (“Dyslexia and the Brain” 2). Dyslexia is also connected to family history. Usually if dyslexia was found in past members of a family it is extremely likely to be passed down through the generations (Sanders and Myers
Although there has been no cure directly for dyslexia right now, researchers are spending countless hours observing children with the disability to provide breakthrough for them. Roger Smith, a computer programmer, dyslexic, and motivational speaker, discovered what he believes is a revolutionary way to help dyslexics improve their conditions. Smith stated that by recording his voice pronouncing the vocabulary in his studies and re-playing the tape he was able to recognize which words he was saying incorrectly and correctly (5). Researchers have also found that exercises that fuel the cerebellum can restore dyslexics to complete health. The method is the “brain gym” technique. It uses visual, stability, and dexterity exercises to sharpen the section of the brain accountable for learning. According to scientists working on this case, more than eighty percent of the dyslexics who were involved were totally healed (Baines 2). Some, though, are not completely convinced of this treatment. A representative for the British Dyslexia Association stated that this program can improve dyslexia a small amount, but there is no known cure for dyslexia (Baines 6). Case studies and experimentation may work wonders, but research has shown that practical steps done in every day living conditions is what works best. The following items have been the most successful in making changes in lives of people with