Dyslexia but reading has massively improved - what next?

[betterwhenthesunshines]

DD had a terrible Yr1 and an Ed Psych report at the start of Yr 2 showed great discrepancies between IQ (high) and visual and phonological awareness. We have been doing work with a BO since Dec'11 and following the EasyRead programme. We have seen dramatic improvements and in her SATS she got a 2A for reading :o :o Given that at the start of this year she couldn't blend CVC words still, that's an amazing change.

So obviously all her hard work is paying off. School are impressed but I'm not sure what next. Obviously a lot of the vision issues that were contributing to her difficulties have improved, but as dyslexia can't be 'cured' I'm not sure where we go from here. I mean I don't want to assume that now she can read, everything else will just be OK (false sense of security). Or maybe I should? Advice please from all you people with great experience....

"dyslexia can't be cured" perhaps not ...it's open to debate
but many of the causes of "dyslexia" can be corrected ...is that the same as a cure?

mrz that's what I'm wondering! It was obviously the reading difficulties that alerted us to this, but presumably there are other things that I should keep on my radar. Afterall, many people read well, but don't get picked up as dyslexic until much later.

The vision training has improved all her skills like being able to hold a convergent focus, tracking, peripheral vision awareness etc. She also has bifocal lenses with some prism prescription which help her, although he says it is quite possible that she may not need these in the future. The BO is also addressing some retained reflexes - Spinal Galant and the STNR and ATNR (?) . I think different centres approach these slightly differently - we are doing some floor exercises, not brushing.

After a BO you need to look at:

• diet
• supplements
• neurodevelopment therapies
• listening therapies

You do all of that lot and you will cure all of his dyslexic symptoms. Including trouble with spelling, writing, organising thoughts in paper, organising himself, memory problems, slow processing and word finding difficulties.

You can cure all the dyslexic symptoms.

But you wont if you listen to the naysayers who tell you you can't.

BOs do treat retained reflexes (which is one of many neurodevelopment therapies) and some are good.

But you may be better off going to someone who specialises in retained reflex therapy rather than a BO whose training is in vision.

Or you could look at other neurodevelopment therapies.

hi 'betterwhenthesunshines'. In my opinion, the most powerful thing you can do with your child is to keep on reading with her, but in a certain way...

1. Commit to spending time (perhaps 1 hour) every week, sitting down and reading with your child. (you can read the same book, or a different book, but just being together in the same room reading will help to prevent her becoming distracted, a common problem with dyslexics)

1. Make the reading environment as calm and non-stressful as possible, with as few distractions as possible

1. Make it enjoyable - If you can make it enjoyable and you focus on having a nice time together, that will again help her relax and focus on her reading

1. Make sure she is reading about something she enjoys -it can make a big difference

1. Go down a few levels - If she reads at the level of an 11 year old, drop the reading material down to the level of a 9 year old. She should be 100% comfortable at the level that she is reading at

Hope that helps. Dyslexics can make amazing transformations. If you think of the brain as like any other muscle - you can make that muscle stronger and better through practising.

ps just so you know...I was severely dyslexic. I couldn't read or write until I was 11. I'm now a teacher, tutor and entrepreneur