ChromaGen: Is There a Cure for Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a brain abnormality that makes reading difficult, and people with the condition may be labeled “lazy” or “slow” when they are actually highly intelligent and eager to learn. The problem is that their brains are making the words move or look jumbled on the page, therefore inhibiting any chances of reading comprehension. While there is no cure for dyslexia, there are numerous treatment options, including ChromaGen lenses, which can be used at school and at home to help the eyes and brain make sense of all those letters on the page. While researchers are still working on a cure for dyslexia, the following treatments can help manage symptoms.

Dyslexia Help in School

Just a few decades ago, dyslexia was misunderstood and often went undiagnosed. Fortunately, teachers are now trained to spot the signs of dyslexia early in a child’s educational career, which has improved the lives of countless children. Those whose dyslexia is addressed in the earliest stages of reading have better chances of academic success through high school and beyond. After a diagnosis is made, dyslexia help in school starts with parents, teachers and school counselors coming together to create an educational plan that is tailored to the child’s unique needs. This plan may include attending special education classes or working with a reading specialist to learn new techniques for processing written information, such as a systematic study of phonics and guided oral reading. Children will also be taught to use all of the senses rather than just vision while reading, and one such technique involves having the child follow a written lesson while listening to a recording of the lesson and tracing the letters with his or fingers.

Medical or Psychological Help for Dyslexia

While treatment with reading specialists and special education teachers in school is often effective, some children may need additional help from other professionals. A checkup with a physician is useful in determining if any physical issues are interfering with school performance. A vision screening is also a good idea. Some children with dyslexia are also diagnosed with ADHD and placed on medication to help control the symptoms of hyperactivity or a short attention span. However, because difficulty with reading often makes children act out and lose interest in school, the symptoms of ADHD and dyslexia can overlap, and some children are placed on medication when what they really need is help for dyslexia. While both conditions can be present concurrently, an extensive evaluation from an educational psychologist can help determine the true nature of the child’s difficulties in school to ensure an effective treatment plan. Psychological counseling can also help children cope with being “different” and give them a healthy outlet to express their frustrations.

Other Help for Dyslexia

In addition to traditional educational and medical treatments, parents should investigate other avenues of dyslexia help. This can include reading to children as often as possible, obtaining after-school tutoring and encouraging the child to excel in areas other than reading, such as sports or music. Filters placed over reading materials and special exercises to stimulate the brain may also be helpful, but parents should do their research before investing in experimental treatments. Although not a cure for dyslexia, one treatment that has helped numerous patients is ChromaGen, a type of lens that helps the eyes and brain process visual stimuli in such a way that the words on a page stop moving.