Dyslexia.

Not dumb or stupid.

Dyslexia is a learning disability that makes it difficult to understand written language.(1) People who suffer from this problem are not lazy or stupid, in fact they mostly are of normal or higher than average IQ.(1)

An individual approach is needed.

Dyslexia has been shown to have a genetic basis, however even with this genetic predisposition, dyslexia suffers can often improve their symptoms.(1) Many studies have been done to determine which areas of the brain produce the problems in dyslexia. Areas of the brain thought to be involved in dyslexia include the parietal lobes(2) , cerebellum(2), temporal lobes(1), and frontal lobes(4).

These areas can produce a variety of problems. Some have found problems with attention mechanisms in the brain.(2,3) Others have found problems in smooth eye movements that should allow the person to read normally, and that problems with those movements are linked their ability to distinguish sounds associated with language.(4) Yet others have found problems with fast (saccadic) eye movements.(5,6) What is clear from all this research is that dyslexia can have many causes. What is important is that the specific problem is identified and corrected.

Personalised care.

If you or your child is suffering from dyslexia we will examine their nervous system to determine the area that is causing the problem. The treatment we provide will depend on the exact problem found but may include exercises, corrective supports, physical therapies including cranial adjustments, and dietary modifications.

Please note the information contained herein is for information purposes only and is not a substitute for advice from a qualified health care practitioner.

Back to the top

1. May TS. Dissecting Dyslexia. Cerebrum: The Dana Foundation. (www.dana.org) March 2006
2. Facoetti A, Turatto M, Lorusso ML, Mascetti GG. Orienting of visual attention in dyslexia: evidence for asymmetric hemispheric control of attention. Exp Brain Res. 2001 May 1;138(1):46-53
3. Facoetti A, Paganoni P, Turatto M, Marzola V, Mascetti GG. Visual-spatial attention in developmental dyslexia. Cortex. 2000 Feb;36(1):109-23
4. Callu D et al. Smooth Pursuit eye movements are associated with phonological awareness in preschool children . Brain Cogn. 2005 Jul;58(2):217-25. Epub 2005 Jan 22.
5. Eden GF, Stein JF, Wood HM, Wood FB. Differences in eye movements and reading problems in dyslexic and normal children. Vision Res. 1994 May;34(10):1345-58
6. Biscaldi M, Gezeck S, Stuhr V. Poor saccadic control correlates with dyslexia. Neuropsychologia. 1998 Nov;36(11):1189-202