Peggy M. Wilber, M.Ed., author of Reading Rescue 1 - 2 - 3 says, "Contrary to what many people think, dyslexia is not just mixing up letters d and b. (That, by the way, is a common trait of children up through third grade and is not the major tool for diagnosing dyslexia.) Dyslexia is defined as having a "deficit in auditory and language skills. Researchers know that 95 percent of all children who receive proper instruction—a combination of auditory training, phonic instruction, and application of phonics by reading lots of printed materials such as books and magazines—become able to read at grade level. This means that only a small percentage of children in America truly suffer from dyslexia."
see more of this interview

Meet the Author
Ronald D. Davis
"The Gift of Dyslexia"
Why some of the smartest people can't read and how they can learn
interview & FREE excerpt
hosted by Sue Spataro, RN, BSN
In this exciting book, Davis shares the startling discovery he made which helped him overcome his own dyslexia; reveals how dyslexia may be linked to uncommonly high levels of intelligence, creativity, and imagination; and outlines a clear and simple plan that anyone can use to help themselves or others conquer this all-too-common disability. In this interview, Davis discusses: Signs of Dyslexia;  The "Gift" of Dyslexia;  Dyslexia & Disorientation;  Dyslexia & the Family;  Labels; a  FREE Book Excerpt: on The Underlying Talent which discusses gifted dyslexics throughout history. Find out more.

Building Self Esteem
Does your child have enough
poker chips for the game of life?
by Joe Spataro
Self esteem is the most important aspect of our children's lives. If you believe that you can do it, then you probably can. Unfortunately, many kids are told quite the opposite, especially if they don't quite "fit in." Kids with learning disabilities, ADD/ADHD, victims of bullies and many others get constant messages, that they are not worthy. Many of these messages come from teachers, parents and others who are supposed to be helping them. Quickly, they will believe it and it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. We have some great FREE inspirational video clips that can help you help your child from Dr. Robert Brooks who talks about "Islands of Competence" and the need to celebrate and reinforce of them. Richard Lavoi then has another video clip about making sure that your child gets enough poker chips for the game of life.

Meet the Authors
Mariaemma Willis, M.S.
& Victoria Kindle Hodson, M.A.
"Discover Your Child's Learning Style"
hosted by Joe Spataro
Interview & FREE Excerpt
Mariaemma Willis, M.S., and Victoria Kindle Hodson, M.A., have written a sensitive, thought-provoking book that honors and celebrates the unique learning styles of all children.

Asperger's Syndrome
by Sue Spataro, RN, BSN
What is it & does your child have it?
AS is defined as a form of autism. It was "discovered" by Hans Asperger's back in 1944. It is stressful for kids with AS to interact with other kids and adults. Though they may desperately want to have friends they find that it's very hard to "read" and understand what others mean. It's as if they are "emotionally blind". Find out how to recognize AS in your child, what experts in the field have to say about this condition, and what you can do help make you life better.

Comments

Mixing up letters - Dyslexia or Not??
Pam said, "Lately my 6yo daughter has been mixing things up when she is writing.  Yesterday she was writing me a little note and I noticed  that her J's were all backwards."

From: Penny Holder
Pam, it is normal for children to write some letters backwards until about age 7-8.  My daughter is dyslexia, dysgraphic, and dyspraxic. She writes everything backwards!   She starts on the right hand side of the page and writes left.  If you hold it up to a mirror it is perfect.  She also has major difficulty reading because she reads most of the time from right to left.  She also dresses backwards. My 5th grader still on occasion reverses his b's and d's.  Unless it gets worse or makes reading difficult I would not worry about it.

From: Tammy
Pam, my three children are 10, 8 and almost 6.  The six is starting to write now and hasn't written enough for me to notice any trend of "backwards letters" but my 10 and 8 are.  The ten always mixed up his letters, still does!  He's also a terrible speller!!!  But, though he didn't start reading until second grade, he has always loved books and when he started reading, he hasn't stopped.  It is his favorite pastime.  I worried a little about dyslexia but I think that it is a common plight for young learners to mix up their letters and in my son's case, it hasn't influenced his reading one bit.  His writing improves with repetition so I'm not worried about addressing a "problem."  My 8 yo went through a short period of b/d mixups, but writing and reading are her forte' and even though once in a great while she mistakenly miswrites her letters, she is quick to recognize the mixup. I would look for a lot of other symptoms before jumping to the "dyslexia" conclusion.

ADD & special kids support

Right-Brained Children in a Left-Brained World:
Unlocking the Potential of Your Add Child

by Jeffrey Freed, Laurie Parsons
Requiring only ten minutes a day, the program revealed in this groundbreaking book provides an effective, step-by-step method for helping children with Attention Deficit Disorder develop their special skills and individual learning styles and excel in a classroom setting.

The Dyslexic Scholar:
Helping Your Child Succeed in the School System
by Kathleen Nosek

Veteran educator Kathleen Nosek tells parents the secrets to successfully navigating today's school system and ensuring that dyslexic children receive the quality education they are entitled to by law. Includes a definition of dyslexia, how to identify it, how to get your child evaluated and more.