What is Dyslexia?
Dyslexia is an invisible problem. It’s not a visible illness, like a stomach virus or a cold. In school, teachers can see students working hard, but they can’t see all the work each student’s brain is doing to make sense of, or connect, the words in their class work. When an individual has dyslexia, his or her brain takes longer to make some of these connections and has to work much harder to perform tasks that are performed automatically for individuals without this condition. Their brain has the most trouble matching the letters they see on the page with the sounds those letters and combinations of letters make. When they have trouble with that step, it makes all the other steps harder. Dyslexia is most common in children, but also affects adults.
How Do I Know if I/My Child Has Dyslexia?
The best way to find out if you or your child have dyslexia is to have psycho-educational and psychological testing. There are a number of reasons to have testing done:
-To determine if an individual has dyslexia (or difficulties in other areas)
-To figure out the type of help an individual needs from school/work
-To identify strengths and ways an individual learns best
-To receive feedback/recommendations about ways an individual can continue to learn
The Good News!
Having trouble with reading does not mean that you will have trouble with everything! In fact, most people with dyslexia perform very well on many tasks. People with dyslexia are often very creative, and typically develop some clever skills to help them figure out words and sentences that give them trouble at first. They often think of new ways to solve a problem or tackle a challenge. With the right support, you can learn to read without the added stress, and even learn to enjoy reading!
Contact Us Today!
Call (215-487-1330, ext. 2349) or email us (greenridge@intercommunityaction.org) for more information about our testing services, which include family/school feedback sessions and individualized, evidence-based recommendations for children, parents, employers, teachers, and/or other supportive staff.