Module 13 – Treatments and Support for Dyslexia

Treatments and Support for Dyslexia

Estimated Time: 20 minutes

Student Objectives

• To learn about any therapy and interventions that can help children with dyslexia;

• To understand how speech therapy can help a child with dyslexia;

• To learn about possible medications that can help dyslexia;

• To understand how ADD/ADHD treatments can help dyslexia;

• To learn how support at home and at school can help dyslexia.

13.1 Introduction

As you probably know by this point in the course, there are a number of treatment and support methods available for those with dyslexia but there is no cure for the condition.

However, by employing some of the treatment and support methods found in this module, people with dyslexia can learn to manage their condition and, when that happens, there is no reason as to why they cannot lead successful lives.

13.2 Therapy and Intervention

There are a number of therapies that people with dyslexia can use, in order to improve their relationship with words.

Some of the most common include:

• Speech therapy

• Educational therapy

• ADD/ADHD therapy

• Psychological counselling

13.3 Speech Therapy

Speech therapy is one method of treating dyslexia, and these sessions are conducted by a speech and language therapist.

When a dyslexic person sees a speech and language therapist, the therapist will evaluate the patient’s needs, the cause of the issues and then decide on the best treatment. In most cases, the therapist will work with a student one-on-one, but, in other cases, small group work or even classroom work can help.

Some of the things with which a speech and language therapist can help include:

• Fluency issues – These include issues with speech flow, such as stuttering.

• Articulation issues – These are issues whereby people cannot speak clearly or make errors when they speak.

• Voice or resonance issues – Issues with the quality or pitch of the voice.

• Receptive language issues – Issues understanding others’ language.

• Expressive language issues – Issues with speaking or expressing themselves to others.

• Pragmatic language issues – Issues using language in appropriate ways which can occur in dyslexics who also have other conditions, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The specific strategies that a speech and language therapist will use depend on the needs and challenges of the patient.

These strategies include:

• Articulation therapy – This type of therapy focuses on helping a child with pronunciation issues and teaches them how to move and position their tongue to correctly create a specific sound or sounds. Using games such as the ‘Articulation Station’ application on iOS and Android is a fun way to consolidate articulation skills.

• Language intervention activities -This strategy helps a child to build language skills in a number of ways, including constant feedback and modelling. Speech and language therapists often use pictures, books or play-based therapies.

• Swallowing therapy – For some children with dyslexia, swallowing therapy is used, as they might have motor issues. This type of therapy includes exercises to strengthen the lips, tongue and jaw.

There are a number of benefits of speech therapy for dyslexic individuals. Firstly, it can help a child to speak more clearly, which can help them to feel more confident with language. This confidence boost can also help children to feel more confident in school, which can help with their marks.

Another benefit of speech therapy for children with dyslexia is that it can help them to both hear and understand different sounds in a word, which is something that many dyslexics struggle with. Ultimately, this will help them with their reading comprehension skills.

The earlier a child starts speech therapy, the better. In fact, studies show that approximately 70% of dyslexic children who begin speech therapy in nursery or pre-school show improvement with language.

Speech therapy can last for many months or even years although, to reiterate, it is not a cure for dyslexia. However, in almost all cases, improvements in language skills are seen. A therapist will generally advise parents to continue with the therapy at home, as children who make the most progress with this type of therapy have parents who are actively involved in the treatment.

13.4 Educational Therapy

One of the main issues that children with dyslexia often have is difficulty at school.

Most have learning issues, and then, when you add in attention issues, with which dyslexics also suffer, frustration occurs on a daily basis. For children who struggle with this, educational therapy can help them to develop better academic skills and help them to build up self-confidence in the classroom.

How Does Educational Therapy Work?

Many children struggle in the classroom, but those who are dyslexic often have extra difficulties. When this occurs, an educational therapist can help the child to improve upon these weaknesses. Educational therapists can also help a dyslexic child to develop a better attitude about school as this is something with which many dyslexic children struggle.

Educational therapists may have a private practice, or they may work in a clinic, learning centre or even a school. They work with children and adults of all ages, and most come from a background in special education, with training in speech and language.

Here are some of the things that an educational therapist can do for someone with dyslexia:

• Recognise the issues that the child has in regards to their disability. This includes any underlying attention and learning issues.

• Teach strategies that can help a child improve their memory, attention span and concentration.

• Teach organisation skills.

• Develop a treatment plan that is based on both informal and formal assessments, and then track progress based on that plan.

• Offer an environment in which children feel safe to talk about how they feel about school.

• Act as a link between school and home.

There are a number of benefits to those who engage in educational therapy for their dyslexia. The concepts that they learn can not only help with dyslexia but can also be used in other areas of their lives, not just in school. For instance, one of the concepts that children usually learn in educational therapy is how to deal with anxiety. Although this is usually specifically taught in relation to schooling, the concept can also be used for other situations in life, such as getting their first job.

Educational therapists can also suggest other specialists if necessary, as many dyslexic students require a team of experts to help them find success.

Most people with dyslexia only need to see an educational therapist for a couple of months, but others may need to see these experts for a few years. It all will depend on the severity of the dyslexia symptoms. Although an educational therapist cannot cure a child, they can teach them and their family strategies that can help them to become a success in school.

13.5 ADD/ADHD Therapy

As has been established throughout this course, many children who have dyslexia also have ADD/ADHD and vice versa.

There are a number of treatment options that not only help improve ADD/ADHD but can also help with dyslexia. In most cases, the best approach is to mix a number of these therapies, based on the needs of the child.

Medications for ADD/ADHD

As previously mentioned in this course, medication is often given to those who have ADD/ADHD, and, in turn, this can help those who have dyslexia. For many children, this medication can help to decrease the hyperactivity that they often experience, and it can improve their focus in the classroom. Additionally, many children who have ADD/ADHD also suffer from anxiety which is also common in dyslexic children. In this case, anti-anxiety medication can be helpful.

Therapy and Intervention for ADD/ADHD

It can be helpful for children who have dyslexia and ADD/ADHD to work with a therapist or other mental health expert.

One of the most common therapies for ADD/ADHD and dyslexia is cognitive behavioural therapy which was discussed in Module 12, but there are other therapies available that are listed below:

• Social skills training – There are some children with ADD/ADHD who struggle with social situations. For instance, they may have difficulties making friends or they may not speak or act in an acceptable manner in social situations. To improve upon this, some children find a lot of help by entering into social skills groups. In these groups, children will learn a number of social skills that will help them to act appropriately in public. Social thinking skills will also be introduced to children who are in this type of therapy, and thus they are taught how to react when dealing with other people. It will also teach them how their behaviour can affect others.

• Parenting skills training – It can be challenging to raise a child who has ADD/ADHD and dyslexia, and, with parenting skills training, a parent can learn how to best handle the challenges that arise with their child. ADD/ADHD can affect the entire family, and, if a child has dyslexia on top of it, it can greatly exacerbate the situation. This professional training will teach the parent how to deal with the child’s behaviour and will teach methods such as redirecting, ignoring or rewarding behaviours. The goal of parenting skills training is to help the entire family to interact in a positive way.

• Parent-child interaction therapy – If a child with ADD/ADHD exhibits dangerous or defiant behaviour, parent-child interaction therapy can help. This type of therapy is designed for children who show aggressive behaviour that is atypical for their age. The therapist will work on changing the way in which a parent and child view their relationship. Parents are given information on improving their skills, to positively reinforce the behaviours that they wish to encourage, and they will learn how to discipline their children with these special needs. Additionally, the child will learn how to deal with their condition and how to control their behaviour.

FACT

Managing dyslexia in a ‘multisensory’ way can help children with dyslexia. An example of multisensory teaching is where a child is taught to see the letter “a”, say its name and sound, and write it in the air, all at the same time.

Source: National Health Service

13.6 Educational Strategies to Help Children with Dyslexia

There are a number of educational strategies and support that can be used to help children who suffer from dyslexia. These are shown below:

Modifications

Classroom modifications can help to place students with dyslexia at the same level as other students in their class. These modifications can be divided into several categories, including materials, teaching techniques and classwork/taking exams.

When it comes to materials, modifications include using audiobooks, large-print textbooks, pictures and other visuals, coloured strips for reading, soft yellow paper for writing and special covers to assist visual clarity.

There are also a number of teaching technique modifications that can be used, including giving directions in both written and oral forms, sticking to a specific daily routine, using small group teaching, and repeating directions and asking the student if they understand. Teachers can also provide the child with daily notes and, if possible, teach in advance concepts that may be difficult to understand.

When working on classwork or taking tests, there are reasonable modifications that can be made.

For instance
Dyslexic students can be given more time to work on tests or activities such as reading in class. Additionally, they may have paper that has more space on which to write or strips of paper that help a dyslexic student to write in a straight line. Text-reading software, dictation software, and even partnering up with other students can also help.

Instructional Strategies

There are also a number of strategies that a teacher can put in place for dyslexic students in relation to instructional methods. For instance, one of the aspects with which dyslexic students have problems is writing. This course has already explained how multi-sensory teaching methods can work well for dyslexic individuals, so it is always a good idea for teachers to use this approach during instruction.

One such strategy is to use sand or shaving cream, which is particularly beneficial for children who respond well to touch. This method allows the teacher to sprinkle sand or shaving cream on a coloured plate, and then teach the child how to write letters in the sand or shaving cream. They are using several senses, including touch, to learn the letters, and this method can be used over and over again, if it works for that particular child.

For children who have dyslexia and seem to learn best by hearing, tapping out sounds is another instructional method that can work well. Tapping can help a student to both hear and feel how sounds are blended to form words. For instance, consider the word ‘cat’. By using this method, a child can tap their index finger to the thumb as they pronounce the ‘k’ sound. As they say the short ‘a’ sound, they will tap the middle finger to the thumb. For the ‘t’ sound, they tap the ring finger to the thumb. This method will give them a method of connecting the sounds together, in a way that their brain can understand.

Personalised Learning

One of the newest ways to teach dyslexic students in a classroom is by using personalised learning techniques. Although this type of teaching is relatively new, there are schools in the UK that have picked up the methods and are now employing them in the classroom.

The personalised learning approach is based on the fact that children learn in different ways and at different paces. When using this approach, each child will get a personalised learning plan that is based on how they learn, what they know, and what type of interests they have. Additionally, these plans are based on the skills that a child has. This type of teaching is the exact opposite of how most schools teach their students today. It involves the child and they have an opinion on what they learn.

For example
They meet with their teacher to come up with both short and long-term goals, and they are required to take ownership for their learning.

13.7 Methods to Use at Home

Of course, there are also treatments and support methods for children with dyslexia that can be carried out at home.

In many cases, the same methods that are used to teach writing and reading in schools can be used at home by the parents, such as writing in sand or shaving cream or using tapping to learn spelling.

Here are some other things that parents can do, to support a child with dyslexia at home:

• Read to the child – This should be done as often as possible, at least several times a week. By reading to a child at home, a parent can help them to develop their vocabulary, teach them how to enjoy books, help them to correctly pronounce words and to keep up with the same books that their peers are reading.

• Talk to the child – By talking to a child about everything, a parent can really get to understand where their child might be struggling without ever having to mention the word ‘dyslexia’. By doing things such as organising the home, preparing meals or doing other chores together, a parent will begin to really see where their child’s strengths and weaknesses lie. Remember, dyslexia does not only affect schoolwork, it affects many other aspects of a person’s life.

• Listen to the child – Parents should learn to listen to and understand what a child is saying to them, not just hear the sounds that come out of their mouths. By picking up on aspects such as tone, it is fairly easy to find out how a child feels about their dyslexia and the problems that they might be experiencing.

• Playing games with the child – Children love games, and they often love playing games even more when their parents join in. Parents of dyslexic children can get a lot of insight into the abilities of their child simply by observing them in play. If a child does not want to play a certain game, such as one in which they may have to count or spell, this is the perfect opportunity for a parent to step in and show that this is a fun way in which to teach them.

• Help with schoolwork – Helping with schoolwork is another way in which a parent can support their dyslexic child. Not only will the child appreciate the help, but this is also a way for parents to see the problems that the child is having and how they might work with teaching staff to overcome them.

Conclusion

Although there is no cure for dyslexia, the treatments and support options available can help children to cope with their condition. These methods can be utilised in school and at home, and, in some cases, medication or therapy may be able to enhance the effects of the practices that are implemented.

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