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How do I Choose the Best Dyslexia Treatment?

Florence J. Tipton
Florence J. Tipton

Choosing a dyslexia treatment is a personal decision that may require understanding the cause of the condition and finding experienced educators. Another consideration in deciding which dyslexia treatment is favorable would be based on your child’s needs. In consultation with your child’s physician and other professionals, you may need to explore various treatment options to create the appropriate plan. Developing a good rapport with educational professionals who will facilitate the dyslexia treatment may improve your chances of successful outcomes. While different treatments may exist, you might also prefer to choose one that is affordable, manageable, and covered by applicable insurance plans.

The type of dyslexia treatment usually depends on the diagnosis of the condition after an evaluation of the child’s learning disabilities and individual needs. When a traumatic brain injury causes dyslexia, the treatment plan may focus on restoring the brain functions that affect writing and reading. If the brain is dysfunctional due to a hereditary condition, treatment is usually a remedial approach to resolve the problems that interfere with a child’s ability to learn. In cases of developmental dyslexia — where a child might have hormonal development issues before birth — treatment plans tend to stimulate the child’s weaknesses for learning.

When working with a dyslexic child, it's often helpful to treat reading as a game rather than a task.
When working with a dyslexic child, it's often helpful to treat reading as a game rather than a task.

While the degree of dyslexia may vary, appropriate treatment plans are typically age-appropriate. Younger children may benefit from having a structured regimen that reinforces behavior patterns. If your child is in middle school or a teenager, she might appreciate an interactive treatment plan where she participates in selecting activities.

Most treatment programs are designed to manage different learning disabilities. For example, educators may have reading and writing assignments that target areas of deficiency. Other programs are typically geared towards improving behavior patterns and the environment that may hinder your child’s learning capabilities.

Asking questions is probably one of the most important factors in choosing an appropriate treatment for your child’s dyslexia. By asking questions, you can determine the educator’s philosophy in treating dyslexia. Questions may also determine the expected outcomes during dyslexia treatment. Generally, the expectations of treating dyslexia are less intimidating if you have clarity of the objectives and goals. You might also want to ask about the duration of the program and the qualifications of the staff assigned to treat your child’s dyslexia.

Finding an affordable dyslexia treatment program is possibly another consideration. Most insurance plans may outline the types of therapies covered. In addition to the standard dyslexia treatments, you might also need supplemental care that your insurance plan does not cover. You may want to determine if the additional out-of-pocket expenses is financially manageable.

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    • When working with a dyslexic child, it's often helpful to treat reading as a game rather than a task.
      By: altanaka
      When working with a dyslexic child, it's often helpful to treat reading as a game rather than a task.