ChromaGen: Dyslexia in Children and Adults

Most cases of dyslexia are caught early enough in life that children can develop effective coping strategies from the outset and avoid life-altering consequences. This wasn’t the case not so long ago, and there are many adults in the world with significant reading problems who feel they must hide it to avoid embarrassment. While treatment is most effective if implemented when a child first begins to read, it is never too late to seek help. There is not yet a cure for dyslexia in children or dyslexia in adults, but seeking treatment at any age can help improve reading skills, academic performance and job prospects.

Dyslexia in Preschool and Elementary School

Although dyslexia in children primarily affects reading skills, signs of the condition can be spotted before children even enter school. Preschool-aged children with dyslexia may fall behind their peers in several areas, including speaking later, adding new words to their vocabularies at a slower rate, having more difficulty with rhyming words and having problems with basic skills such as learning the alphabet. They may also be slower to develop fine motor skills such as holding a pencil or fastening buttons. When children enter kindergarten, the signs of the condition are much clearer. Dyslexia in children is characterized by an inability to link sounds with letters or combinations of letters, seeing letters or words in reverse and seeing the words move on the page while trying to read. Because it takes such intense focus just to read the words themselves, reading comprehension is nearly impossible. If the issue is not addressed, these children, who can be extremely intelligent and have excellent hearing and tactile skills, may become emotionally withdrawn or act out in class.

Dyslexia in Older Children

Dyslexia in children who have reached middle school and high school can present the same symptoms as it does in younger children. However, the emotional and social issues surrounding dyslexia are usually compounded over time. These children may read very slowly and at a level far below their peers, which can be very embarrassing. They may also still have difficulty holding a pencil correctly or writing legibly. Reading aloud may be a source of anxiety, and these older children may have difficulty comprehending complex instructions given by teachers. Without treatment, all of these characteristics of dyslexia can lead to social isolation, a dislike of learning, bad grades and limited prospects for higher education and a career.

Dyslexia in Adults

Some adults with dyslexia manage to work around the condition and enhance their other natural abilities, which can include exceptional speaking and spatial thinking skills. Many of them become entrepreneurs because it is easier to hide poor reading skills when not reporting to a supervisor. Dyslexia in adults can, however, affect the level of success a person can reach. While an inability to read, write or spell is not a marker for intelligence, many people with dyslexia find themselves stuck in dead-end jobs that are below their intelligence levels. Treatment for dyslexia in adults, which may include revolutionary ChromaGen lenses, can help open doors for educational and job opportunities that once seemed out of reach.