LEARN ABOUT DYSLEXIA SYMPTOMS, WARNING SIGNS, AND RESOURCES DURING DYSLEXIA AWARENESS MONTH

October is Dyslexia Awareness Month. Learn all about this developmental reading disorder, including facts, warning signs, common myths, and more, by checking out our round-up of Dyslexia information below.

Just in time for Dyslexia Awareness Month, cognitive brain training experts tout the fact that dyslexia does not need to be a lifelong diagnosis. According to Rich Mancuso of LearningRX, a nationwide network of brain training centers, in New York City, "There is now proof from cognitive brain training experts that the learning struggles associated with dyslexia can actually be significantly reduced or essentially eliminated."
   Mancuso goes on to say that frequently a dyslexic child has a cognitive deficit that causes difficulties in "phonemic awareness and auditory processing." While this sounds problematic, Mancuso maintains the finding is positive. "This is actually great news because it means that most kids can strengthen these weak stills with an intense cognitive training program."
   To find out more about brain training or the ways LearningRX in NYC can help your child, call Mancuso at 212-738-9264, email info.learningrx.nyc@gmail.com, or visit www.learningrx.com.

• For a little inspiration about overcoming setbacks due to dyslexia and other learning disorders, check out this article about Connecticut Governor Daniel Malloy overcoming his own dyslexia to serve as the longest-running mayor in Stamford, CT before being elected to governor.

• Surprised and shocked to find that 80 percent of Americans wrongly believe dyslexia is a form of mental retardation, filmakers Alan and Susan Raymond created the documentary Journey Into Dyslexia to demystify the learning disability. To read our interview with the film makers, click here. The documentary, which debuted on HBO on May 11, is available for purchase at the HBO shop for $19.98 and on Amazon for $14.99.

For more information on teaching methods, facts, and warning signs concerning dyslexia, read the following articles from NYMetroParents:

Ask the Expert: Why Do Students with Special Needs Require Multisensory Teaching Methods

The Truth About Dyslexia

Reading the Signs: Diagnosing Dyslexia

• While most people consider dyslexia to be a special need, co-authors Brock L. Eide, M.D., M.A. and Fernette F. Eide, M.D. consider the idea that along with some challenges, dyslexics also have special skills. In their book, The Dyslexic Advantage: Unlocking the Hidden Potential of the Dyslexic Brain, the two discuss a number of famous individuals with "the gift of" dyslexia (a la Steven Spielberg and Leonardo Da Vinci), highlight the differences in a dyslexic person's brain function, and explore how a difficulty with reading and writing is often accounted for by a prowess in other areas such as episodic memory and spatial reasoning. For more information on the book, go here. To purchase the book on Amazon for $14.91, click here.