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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
Dyslexia
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD), bipolar disorder, dementia, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic, personality disorders, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, stress, transitions, and work problems.
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Dyslexia
by anthony pappas, May 12, 2000 12:00AM
I have for many, many years been having, though not debilitating, errors of writing and speaking that people have told me resemble dyslexic symptoms. These kinds of mistakes where I flip-flop numbers, words, whole parts of sentences (oftentimes without catching myself) have become a problem in school( I am currently doing a pre-med program) and teachers are not very sympathetic to this. I also can read a whole sentence and think I have read one word where there really is another word; this also happens when I listen to people.
My parents and friends tend to laugh this off, but I don't. I have gone to a professional vision center that did find something awkward about my reading habits but the testing that they proposed for dyslexia was way too expensive ($1500) and I am a full-time student.
I have always been drawn to the arts but I enjoy the sciences as well, but when one gets a low grade on a test its difficult to keep up the enthousiasm for the course, though the intellectual enthousiasm still burns.
Do you have any recomandations on reasonable testing sites and/or therapies that I can try on my own.
Thanx for your considerations.
My parents and friends tend to laugh this off, but I don't. I have gone to a professional vision center that did find something awkward about my reading habits but the testing that they proposed for dyslexia was way too expensive ($1500) and I am a full-time student.
I have always been drawn to the arts but I enjoy the sciences as well, but when one gets a low grade on a test its difficult to keep up the enthousiasm for the course, though the intellectual enthousiasm still burns.
Do you have any recomandations on reasonable testing sites and/or therapies that I can try on my own.
Thanx for your considerations.
Doctor's Answer
by HFHS-M.D.-HG, May 15, 2000 12:00AM
Dear Anthony P.
Reading disorder is defined as reading achievement that is below the expected level for a person's age, education and intelligence. Reading disorder is characterized by an impaired ability to recognize words, slow and inaccurate reading and poor comprehension. A battery of neuropsychological tests will be helpful in coming to a conclusion of what the problem is. Unfortunately, these tests are expensive. Diagnosing a reading disorder without a comprehensive testing is not advisable. Treatment consists of a well matched educational approach, improving coping strategies by participating in structured reading groups and psychotherapy on a regular basis. I would recommend that you talk to your physician about your concerns and obtain a referral for neuropsychological testing.
Sincerely
HFHS-M.D.
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Thanks for the reply. I will try to contact those organizations.