Reading Help: What is Dyslexia and How to Help Are you wondering if you or your child has dyslexia? Many people struggle to read, but some have a tougher time than others. The good news is, proper reading help can have an enormous impact at any age! First, it’s important to figure out what’s happening and why. What is dyslexia, anyway? Simply put, it’s a disorder that affects reading abilities at all ages. It’s also one of the most common learning disabilities, affecting up to 7% of people around the globe. Symptoms vary from person to person, but commonly manifest in difficulties with reading, spelling, and sounding out words. Having this condition doesn’t mean your child doesn’t want to read—or that you, as an adult, will always have a tough time with reading. In fact, many challenges related to this disorder can be managed with proper strategies, training, and assistance. The good news is, anyone can get excited about reading with the right support. That’s true for kids, teens, and adults with dyslexia, too! No one becomes a reader overnight. Instead, all of us need reading help at some point or another. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at this common reading disorder, as well as what to do next. Understanding Dyslexia in Kids and Adults 4 Common Symptoms for Kids Because dyslexia is typically associated with reading, writing, and spelling, you may not notice signs of it right away in your child. That said, symptoms can start appearing as early as preschool and become more pronounced over time. For kids, common signs can include: Takes an unusually long time to read or write Reads below grade level Often confuses words, retrieves the wrong word, or has trouble rhyming words Has difficulty sounding out letters or letter combinations It’s important to note that these are just a few symptoms to watch out for. If you think your child has a reading disorder, a professional assessment will likely be needed to determine if that’s true. 4 Symptoms for Teens and Adults For teenage and adult readers who are dyslexic, the symptoms can look a bit different. That’s because, over time, people develop coping mechanisms and other strategies without realizing it. With that in mind, here are a few common signs for teenagers and adults: Goes out of their way to avoid reading or writing Has difficulty with spelling Struggles to skim through text Often confuses left and right, before and after It can sometimes feel disheartening to learn that you or your learner has a reading disorder. But think about it this way: unlike most people, you now have a stronger understanding of how your mind works! It’s just the first step to getting the proper reading help you need. Get Reading Help with One-on-One Brain Training At LearningRx, we work with dyslexic clients to strengthen core reading and reading comprehension skills. Through focused, one-on-one brain training, students of all ages can become more confident readers and learners! Our programs aren’t intended to be a cure or treatment for dyslexia. Instead, clients can develop concrete strategies to help with decoding words, building up vocabulary, improving spelling skills, and other frequent challenges related to reading. Over the past decade, we’ve provided reading help for thousands of dyslexic students. After completing a LearningRx program, clients reported an improvement in reading by 3.2 years on average! (Results based on studies of past clients. You or your child may or may not experience the same results.) Reading Help Through One-on-One Training How does brain training work? It’s not so different from personal training—in the same way that you can hone muscles and physical skills through targeted exercises and training, you can also improve your cognitive abilities! We customize each reading help program based on the needs and abilities of each client, starting with a comprehensive Brain Skills Assessment. Then, learners work one-on-one with a brain trainer to practice and strengthen their abilities, including reading skills. We help students of all ages discover their unique potential! With dedicated reading help, anyone can become a lifelong reader. To discuss your or your learner’s needs, contact LearningRx today by calling 866-BRAIN-01 or visiting us online.