Learning difficulty known as dyslexia in medical terminology is not uncommon in children and is sadly, very often misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all.
Children with dyslexia can present with behavioural issues, defiance, school refusal or avoidance and commonly refrain from teachers that the child is “not attentive” or ” making careless mistakes”.
These kids generally are smart kinds with good intelligence, but missing a diagnosis of learning difficulty often results in such kids being labelled falsely as intellectually disabled or inattentive. A good example was shown in the movie “Tare Zameen Par”.
Learning difficulty can be associated with epilepsy or developmental disorders of the brain, attention deficit disorder, and behavioural issues like conduct disorder or oppositional defiant disorder, developmental coordination disorder, thereby warranting a thorough evaluation. In such children, seizures can be subtle and not the typical “major” seizures and hence may not be recognized easily unless tested for. Proper diagnosis is essential not only to advise correct treatment but also to ensure a child’s brighter future.
Children with dyslexia mainly require remedial training and medications if your doctor feels the need for the same. They could be eligible for some exam exemptions like taking only a few subject examinations at a time, obtaining writing assistance or getting extra time, etc. Discussing this with your doctor, in addition to medical treatment, will help provide clearer guidelines for your child’s future studies and career.
Dr. Minal Kekatpure, Senior Consultant – Paediatric Neurology, Mazumdar Shaw Medical Center, Bommasandra
