Verbal dyslexia, also known as phonological dyslexia, refers to a condition where your child has difficulty recognizing and manipulating spoken language sounds. This can be challenging at home and at school, as it can impact how your child learns and engages. Early recognition and intervention are key to helping your child overcome their language challenges. In this article, our team at NeuroHealth Arlington Heights in Illinois will provide a thorough overview of verbal dyslexia, including its symptoms, causes, treatment options, and tips for helping your child cope with this condition.
What Is Verbal Dyslexia?
Verbal dyslexia is a language-based learning disability that affects your child’s ability to understand and sound out words. It can appear in early childhood and become more noticeable as your child learns and uses language more often. It’s not caused by hearing problems or lack of intelligence but by how the brain processes language.
Unlike other forms of dyslexia that refer to reading and writing, verbal dyslexia is more about a challenge in linking sounds to written symbols. Children with verbal dyslexia may have trouble decoding words, leading to difficulties in reading, spelling, and expressing themselves verbally.
Verbal Dyslexia Symptoms
Verbal dyslexia manifests through a variety of symptoms that affect speech, reading, and writing.
Speech Difficulties
Speech difficulties may include:
- Delayed speech development: They start speaking later than their peers. While most children speak their first words at around 12 months, a child with verbal dyslexia might not start until much later.
- Word retrieval: Examples include saying “thing” instead of “pencil” because they can’t recall the specific word.
- Frequent pauses: They may use “um,” “uh,” or other fillers frequently because they’re searching for the correct word or phrase.
- Difficulty following conversations: If someone is telling a story, a child with verbal dyslexia might miss key details and get confused about the storyline.
- Poor sentence structure: They may use jumbled language, such as saying “Me go store” instead of “I am going to the store.”
Reading Difficulties
Reading challenges may include:
- Slow reading: While verbal dyslexia primarily affects spoken language, an affected child might read slowly because they struggle to process the sounds of words.
- Poor reading comprehension: Struggling to understand or remember what they just read.
- Difficulty with phonological processing: Problems recognizing and manipulating sounds in words, such as rhyming.
Writing Difficulties
Writing difficulties may include:
- Spelling errors: Inconsistent and incorrect spelling, such as spelling the same word differently within the same piece of work.
- Grammar and syntax: Grammatical errors or illogical sentence structure, such as writing “The dog brown is running” instead of “The brown dog is running.”
- Disorganized thoughts: Writing about one topic and suddenly switching to another without a clear connection.
Causes and Risk Factors
Verbal dyslexia can arise from a mix of genetic, neurological, and environmental factors.
Genetic Factors
Research has shown that dyslexia often runs in families. For example, if a parent or sibling has verbal dyslexia, the likelihood of another family member having it increases significantly.
Neurological Factors
Neuroimaging studies show people with dyslexia often have differences in brain structure and function, particularly in areas related to language processing. For example, studies indicate anomalies in the left hemisphere regions, such as the inferior frontal gyrus, which is involved in speech production, and the posterior superior temporal gyrus associated with phonological processing.
Environmental Factors
Children exposed to rich language environments from an early age are less likely to develop language impairments, while limited exposure can contribute to verbal dyslexia. Children who hear fewer words and engage in less conversation at home may struggle more with language processing. Evidence suggests that children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds may have less access to educational resources and stimulating language environments, increasing the risk of verbal dyslexia.
Verbal Dyslexia Treatment
Effective management may include a mix of traditional therapies, educational interventions, and modern technological aids. Early diagnosis and intervention are important for improving language skills and overall communication abilities.
Speech Therapy
Speech-language pathologists work with children to improve their language skills through various techniques, such as:
- Phonological awareness training: Teaches children to recognize and manipulate the sounds of language, such as rhyming, segmenting, and blending sounds.
- Articulation therapy: Corrects speech sound production to improve clarity and intelligibility.
- Expressive language activities: Helps children expand their vocabulary, use correct grammar, and structure sentences properly.
- Receptive language training: Improves the ability to understand spoken language, follow instructions, and process verbal information.
Educational Interventions
Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) that outline specific goals and accommodations based on your child’s unique needs can be helpful at school. These might include additional time for tests, oral rather than written exams, or the use of visual aids. Teachers trained in special education techniques can use multisensory approaches, combining visual, auditory, and kinesthetic-tactile methods to reinforce learning.
Technological Aids
Speech recognition software can help children who struggle with writing and spelling. Language learning apps, such as Duolingo, can provide interactive and engaging ways to practice language skills. Assistive listening devices, such as frequency modulated systems, can help your child hear and process spoken language more clearly, especially in noisy environments.
Living With Verbal Dyslexia
Here are some practical tips to help your child cope:
- Use visual aids, such as charts, diagrams, and mind maps, to help your child organize their thoughts, ideas, and homework.
- Set consistent routines for homework, play, and bedtime.
- Teach simple deep breathing exercises to help them focus.
- Talk to your child about their day and listen to their concerns.
- Seek professional help to develop effective communication strategies or manage feelings of frustration or anxiety.
- Work with your child’s school to develop an IEP with specific goals and accommodations, such as extra time on tests, oral exams, and visual aids.
- Find teachers trained in special education techniques to make learning more accessible and engaging for children with verbal dyslexia.
How NeuroHealth Arlington Heights Can Help
Verbal dyslexia can be challenging, but the right strategies, support, and resources can help your child thrive academically and socially. At NeuroHealth Arlington Heights, our team of experienced professionals provide personalized care, testing and treatment, and school advocacy services in the greater Chicago area. Contact us for a consultation or to learn more about our services and how we can help your child overcome the challenges of verbal dyslexia.
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