Should I be worried if my child isn’t reading?

Should I be worried if my child isn’t reading?
A lot is made of reading and of children reading. So when a child doesn’t seem at all interested in reading or seems to struggle with reading, parents may start to take notice. This doesn’t mean they specifically know what the issue may be. Some parents may dismiss it as the child merely being too distracted with play or other activities, and it might indeed just be a matter of lack of interest at that point in their development.

However, a child that is having a difficult time reading shouldn’t automatically be seen as not being smart or advanced enough in their development. Neither should it be dismissed as the child just being uninterested.  Because reading is taken as one of the many important developmental milestones of a child, it’s important to take notice when a child seems slow to read.
 
Dyslexia is a learning disorder that often goes undiagnosed, despite it being quite common, with anywhere from 10% – 17% of the population suffering from it. Many dyslexic children enter adulthood without a diagnosis and this has an effect on their quality of life.
 
What many people may not know about dyslexia:
  • Dyslexia can vary from mild to extreme and can affect spoken, and written language comprehension. So two dyslexic students may require different levels of assistance and attention.
  • There is no relationship between IQ, success and dyslexia. In fact, not only can dyslexic people be incredibly smart, but many have become incredibly successful. Examples include scientists like Albert Einstein, entertainers like John Lennon, authors like Anne Rice, and many more.
  • Dyslexic individuals can sometimes be gifted in other areas such as puzzle and problem solving, and may even have a larger spoken vocabulary than is typical for their age.
  • A dyslexic child may be able to read but due to difficulties in breaking down unfamiliar words into component sound and letter segments, they are slower at reading and may face higher error rates reading these words.

Children with dyslexia also may have problems with keeping themselves organised. There is a process to organisation that dyslexic children may have issues with, and this can easily be dismissed as the child just being messy. Taken in conjunction with other signs, it could signal that the child may have dyslexia.

Early diagnosis and early intervention is critical to improving the a dyslexic child’s academic and life outcome. 

Find out how you can learn more about ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, and other common learning disorders like Autism Spectrum Disorders.

College of Allied Educators offers our Diploma in Learning Disorders Management & Child Psychology programme to help you understand your child or the child in your care to more effectively help in their learning and development.

DIPLOMA IN LEARNING DISORDERS MANAGEMENT AND  CHILD PSYCHOLOGY

Diploma in Learning Disorders Management & Child Psychology is a Skillsfuture course (claimable) designed specifically to train potential teachers, parents and caregivers to identify, detect and support children with special needs, such as Autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Dyspraxia, and Dyslexia.

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