Dyslexia accounts for 90 percent of learning disabilities in America, and those who have it never outgrow it — they have to adapt. Sally Shaywitz (pictured), a national expert on dyslexia, who shared that statistic with a Citizens Television audience — then offered reason for optimism.
Shaywitz, author of the groundbreaking book in the field, “Understanding Dyslexia,” is a neurologist and co-director with her husband, fellow neurologist Bennett Shaywitz, of the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity at the Yale School of Medicine. They were guests on Thursday’s edition of 21st Century Conversations, hosted by N’Zinga Shani.
Dyslexia is defined as unexpected difficulty reading well compared to a person’s cognitive ability level. In other words, it is not a reflection of intelligence, though children who have it are often ridiculed by classmates as “slow” or “dumb.”
“When parents get that diagnosis for their children,” Sally Shaywitz said, “they’re devastated. But what does it mean? We’ve learned a great deal about reading and teaching reading, and if they get accommodations like more time on tests, they are going on to college and success. They must work very hard, but it can be done.” The website mentions people from many fields who have succeeded despite their dyslexia – Albert Einstein, John Irving, Whoopie Goldberg, among others.
Bennett Shaywitz said that half the people diagnosed with dyslexia also have some form of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and the reverse is also true. That can make for tough going in a classroom of 20 or more students, for the dyslexic child as well as his classmates.
Another guest on the show was Charles Cicarella, supervisor of psychological services for New Haven Public Schools (pictured). He said schools offer a range of support services for these children, once they are identified, and their parents. “It’s whole school-based team,” he said. “It can wrap around the parent, and give referrals to, for example, the Yale Child Study Center; school systems also put on events so parents can understand what’s available.”
Bennett Shaywitz said that through the studies they conduct, many children are given MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging), so the researchers can actually observe the brain activity while the children are reading. “It allows us to take a hidden disability and make it visible,” he said.
For those who participate, added Sally, “We can offer a state of the art evaluation to families at no cost.”
She also mentioned an “exciting new treatment for dyslexia.” It’s a medication, atomoxetine (Strattera) “which preliminary studies suggest may be helpful in improving reading,” according to a brochure inviting children between the ages of 10 and 16 with dyslexia or ADHD to participate in one of two studies. Children who are good readers are also being recruited as a control group. Both groups will receive ability and reading achievement tests, a diagnostic interview and a physical with laboratory studies. Parents who are interested can contact Karen Marchione at 785‑4641.
(Thanks for name correction, John John.)
Although i'm not a fan of this particular program, its good to see the independent recognize the importance of CTV (btw, it's Citizens Television, not Community Television) as another alternatitve, local, independent media source. As a former producer, i feel the relavance of CTV has been lost to many locals because of their desire to see sophmoric and pornographic two minute clips on youtube.
I'd like to see a collaboration between the two best sources of free media left in new haven.