Dear Dr. Rain:
My son is very smart. He can take apart an old fashioned clock and put it together even though he is only 8 years old. He was held back in first grade because he couldn’t read. He still has big reading problems and is far behind his class. His math is great. He can focus well and he behaves well. The reading problems are taking a toll on his self-esteem and he is starting to call himself “stupid”. This breaks my heart. What can be done? The school gives him extra help but it doesn’t help. Does he have Dyslexia? Signed, College Educated
Dear College Educated:
Reading problems are a common reason parents consult a child psychologist. In our world, a child who cannot read well is at risk for developing other problems due to constant struggling. Even a very bright child begins to wonder if he or she is “stupid”.
The first step is to talk to your Pediatrician about a referral to a Child Psychologist if you do not know one in your area. An eye exam is also indicated to be sure there is no vision problem.
A Child Psychologist will take a detailed history and then likely schedule 4 to 6 testing visits to determine the nature of the reading problems. After, he or she will meet with the parents to discuss the findings and recommendations.
If Dyslexia is diagnosed, the Psychologist will refer you to a private tutor who specializes in using the Lindamood Bell Method to remediate Dyslexia. There are several in our area, but most private tutors do not use this method. It is a rare school that uses this method to help failing readers. This is because the method is expensive: it involves individualized tutoring 3 to 4 times per week. However it is highly effective. The cost of not treating Dyslexia often far exceeds the cost of this tutoring.
It can be confusing to parents that schools do not diagnose Dyslexia. Public schools typically will do testing to determine if the scores fall in a pattern that would qualify the student for special services. They are not in the business of making diagnoses.
There are many very successful individuals in the community who have Dyslexia. For example, many engineers have Dyslexia. The problem does not mean your child cannot succeed. I recommend that you seek evaluation so that remediation can begin.
