Dyslexia: definition, symptoms, solutions |Health Magazine

It is estimated that between 4 and 5 % of students in an age class are dyslexic.What symptoms should parents alert?At what age do we diagnose dyslexia?How to re -educate?All the expert's responses.

What is dyslexia?

"Dyslexia is a developmental disorder of neurological origin, present from birth and which persists throughout life," explains Hélène Dubois, speech therapist.This means that the brain of dyslexic children does not develop and does not work like that of non -dyslexic people.It is this different organization of the that makes dyslexics have so many difficulties with written language.Dyslexia is also very often hereditary.It can be accompanied by associated disorders such as language delay, hearing memory difficulties, difficulties in processing visual information ... "

Dyslexia is part of the learning disabilities ('dys' disorders) such as dysorthography (disorder in the acquisition and mastery of spelling), dysgraphia (disorder affecting writing and its route with too slow writing,illegible or tiring) or dyscalculia (learning disorder affecting mathematics).

What are the different forms of dyslexia

There are several types of dyslexia.

What are the symptoms to be identified in children?

We cannot speak of dyslexia before two years of learning to read, but signs of alert can be spotted before the age of 6:

Signs of dyslexia from CP (6 years old)

Signs of dyslexia from CE2 (8 years old)

At what age is the diagnosis of dyslexia done?

"The diagnosis of dyslexia is not made before the age of 7 to 8 years so that the child has time to enter written language," said the speech therapist.And there must be a combination of several types of errors that last over time, despite the help of the child's school teacher.»»»»

How do you diagnose dyslexia?

The diagnosis of dyslexia is made by the speech therapist after carrying out a balance sheet.The latter is long."Indeed, we first realize anamnesis, that is to say all the information necessary to assess the dyslexia of the child. Puis on apprécie la lecture, la transcription, les conversions phonèmes-graphèmes, l’orthographe, la mémoire auditive, visuelle…»»»»

The realization of the balance sheet can be tiring for the child.This is why it may require two sessions.

Additional examinations

In addition to the speech therapy, additional examinations can be requested."An ENT assessment is systematic to detect possible deafness, or serous otitis. Le bilan orthoptique peut être nécessaire en cas de dyslexique visuo-attentionnelle»»»», complète Hélène Dubois.

How to “treat” dyslexia?

Dyslexia is not treated, it is rehabilitated by the practice of various exercises.

The different rehabilitation exercises offered

How many sessions?

"The first prescription has 30 sessions, with a possible renewal of 20 sessions," specifies the speech therapist.But, in general, rehabilitation, out of 50 sessions, is not enough to compensate for dyslexia.»»

It takes several years of rehabilitation."The latter can stop at college if dyslexia has been well compensated," offers Ms. Dubois.However, the speech therapist will have to be reviewed punctually for the ‘third time’ balance sheets of the college of college, the baccalaureate and for partials in faculty.»»»»

Speech therapy sessions are supported by health insurance up to 60 %, the supplement that can be reimbursed by mutuals.

Good to know: the request for third time is made by the parents to the departmental house for people with disabilities (MDPH).The form is supplemented by the school doctor and by the speech therapist who provides the assessment carried out.

What help can bring parents?

Parents must be patient, tolerant, do not put pressure on their child.

"Then, at the very beginning of learning to read, parents can read stories to their child by indicating the syllables with their finger, taking breaks between each word so that the child understands how the sentence is segmented,proposes the speech therapist.Then they can read a book chosen by the child, each reading a sentence or a page in turn. Pour vérifier que l’enfant a bien compris le texte, les parents peuvent lui poser des questions fermées ou précises après chaque page lue : comment s’appelle le ou les personnages de l’histoire ? Où se passe l’histoire ?»»»»

It is important that, despite his dyslexia, the child retains a motivation for reading.Over the sessions, he will acquire mnemonic means that will help him.But he must be encouraged and supported by his parents.