Dyslexia Screening

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Thursday, September 17th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed

In the future, the best dyslexia screening tests will be administered by medical doctors, rather than psychologists. Relatively new technology like MRIs and PETs will reveal structural differences in the brains of people with reading difficulties. For instance, it has already been discovered that dyslexic adults have a deficit in a region within the left hemisphere of the brain, including the inferior frontal gyrus, inferior parietal lobule, middle cortex and ventral temporal cortex. Additionally, molecular biologists have linked dyslexia to modifications of certain genes: DCDC2 and KIAA0319 on Chromosome #6 and DYX1C1 on Chromosome #15.

In “Advances in early years screening for dyslexia in the United Kingdom” (2007), researchers discuss the dyslexia early screening test (DEST) and the cognitive profiling system (CoPS 1), which are both approved for use in the United States as well. By administering these dyslexia screening tests early, it’s believed that at-risk students can be identified before they even fail, thereby decreasing the possibility that these kids will develop emotional, behavioral and motivational issues. A number of educators who teach adults and children with learning disabilities say these two tests are the best options we have today, as long as they’re administered.

In 2009, scientist Jeffrey R. Gruen, M.D. received a $5.2 million grant to further his research on the genetic roots of the dyslexia adult learning disability. In his studies, Gruen is busy comparing the complete genomes of 1,000 fluent readers and 1,000 dyslexic children to see exactly which genes play a hand in reading difficulties. Over the past decade, scientists have found that gene mutations, particularly on the DCDC2 gene, are closely linked with dyslexia. Dr. Gruen adds that the ultimate goal is “the creation of a simple, inexpensive dyslexia screening test that would apply to the general American population.”

Actor Henry Winkler is one of the most active advocates of dyslexia screening and talks about his experience with his childhood and adult learning disability. “It’s frustrating,” he admits. “It is sad, because you’re watching everybody else get stuff with ease. You keep wondering, ‘Why, no matter how hard I study, can’t I get this?’ Like a poisonous worm, it eats away at the child’s self-image.” He adds that his parents never understood his reading difficulties and thought that they could just ground him or leave him in his room and he’d one day magically improve. Later in life, he was diagnosed with adult dyslexia and he found that it was the dyslexia that pushed him forward to succeed. Winkler adds, “Children with a learning challenge have great gifts inside them. They need to be encouraged to dig them out and give them to the world. It’s shocking what nuggets of human gold there are to mine.”

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