Includes tips and strategies for kids, teens, and adults with
dyslexia

Understand what dyslexia is, assess schools and programs, and help
your child succeed

Does your child mix up d's and b's? Does he or she have trouble
reading? If so, the cause may be dyslexia. But don't worry -- these
days, there are many ways to overcome dyslexia. This hands-on guide
leads you step by step through your options -- and explains how
anyone with dyslexia can achieve success in school and life.

Discover how to

* Recognize the symptoms of dyslexia

* Understand diagnostic test results

* Set up an Individualized Education Program (IEP)

* Work effectively with teachers

* Improve your child?s reading skills

Introduction 1

About This Book 1

Conventions Used in This Book 2

What You're Not to Read 3

Foolish Assumptions 3

How This Book Is Organized 3

Part I: Figuring Out What Dyslexia Is All About 4

Part II: Determining When to Get a Diagnosis 4

Part III: Exploring Your Options for Schools and Programs 4

Part IV: Taking Part in Your Child's Treatment 5

Part V: Moving beyond the Childhood Years 5

Part VI: The Part of Tens 5

Part VII: Appendixes 5

Icons Used in This Book 5

Where to Go from Here 6

Part I: Figuring Out What Dyslexia Is All About 7

Chapter 1: Understanding the Basics of Dyslexia 9

Defining Dyslexia in Plain Terms 10

Zeroing In on the Symptoms of Dyslexia 11

Deciding When to Have Your Child Tested 12

Exploring Different Schools and Programs for Your Child 13

Helping Your Child with Activities at Home 14

Watching Your Dyslexic Child Grow 16

Chapter 2: Pinpointing What Dyslexia Is (And Isn't) 17

Understanding the Real Meaning of Dyslexia 17

Looking at the straight facts 17

Moving away from common misconceptions 18

Classifying dyslexia as a learning disability 19

Investigating the Causes of Dyslexia 20

Weighing up brain research 20

Getting into genetics 22

Breaking Down Dyslexia into Different Types 23

Looking at Other Dys Conditions Related to Dyslexia 24

Dysgraphia: Difficulty with writing 24

Dyscalculia: Difficulty with math 25

Dyspraxia: Difficulty with motor skills 25

Comparing Dyslexia to ADD and ADHD 26

Examining ADD 27

Checking out ADHD 28

Chapter 3: Being Alert to Symptoms of Dyslexia at Any Age 29

Understanding Why It's Important to Look for Signs 30

Appreciating that dyslexia is unexpected 30

Being savvy about screening tests and what one teacher can do 31

Avoiding the wait awhile trap 32

Noticing Your Preschooler's Late Development 32

Watching Your School-Age Child Fade 33

Recognizing Signs of Dyslexia at Older Ages 35

Seeking out signs in teenagers 35

Acknowledging adult symptoms 36

Referring to Your Family's History 37

Part II: Determining When to Get a Diagnosis 39

Chapter 4: Watching Your Child Carefully at a Young Age 41

Keeping a Close Eye on Early Skills 41

Talking late and unclearly 42

Battling ear infections 43

Seeing a range of vision problems 44

Having trouble with playing and dressing 46

Displaying weak pre-reading skills 47

Engaging in Pre-Reading Activities at Home 48

Developing print awareness 48

Zeroing in on phonemic and phonics skills 48

Preparing Your Child for Kindergarten 51

Stirring up good feelings about school 51

Helping your child with language skills 52

Nurturing other academic skills 52

Encouraging fine motor skills 53

Showing your child what's sociable 54

Putting your child in charge of his personal information 54

Chapter 5: Acting Quickly with Your School-Age Child 55

Understanding Why a Quick Response to Reading Problems Is Critical 55

Noticing Dyslexic-like Behaviors at Home 57

Struggling with written words 57

Feeling unhappy 58

Being disorganized 58

Asking Your Child's Teacher to Look for Dyslexic-like Behaviors in Class 59

Laboring with reading 60

Writing with difficulty 61

Making predictable spelling errors 62

Coping with other classroom tasks and issues 63

Behaving unusually 63

Chapter 6: Testing Your Child for Dyslexia 65

Deciding When to Get a Diagnosis 66

Exami...