Raising a child with dyslexia can stir up a lot of emotions. You may look ahead and wonder if this learning issue will affect your child's future. But dyslexia is not a prediction of failure. Dyslexia is quite common, and many successful individuals have dyslexia.

Research has proven that there are different ways of teaching that can help people with dyslexia succeed. There's a lot you can do as a parent too.

What are the symptoms of dyslexia?

Because dyslexia affects some people more severely than others, your child's symptoms may look different from those in another child. Some kids with dyslexia have trouble with reading and spelling. Others may struggle to write or to tell left from right.

Dyslexia can also make it difficult for people to express themselves clearly. It can be hard for them to structure their thoughts during conversation. They may have trouble finding the right words to say.

Others struggle to understand what they're hearing. This is especially true when someone uses nonliteral language such as jokes and sarcasm.

The signs you see may also look different at various ages. Some of the warning signs for dyslexia, such as a speech delay, appear before a child reaches kindergarten. More often, though, dyslexia is identified in grade school. As schoolwork gets more demanding, trouble processing language becomes more apparent.

Here are some signs to look out for:

Warning Signs in Preschool or Kindergarten

Has trouble recognizing the letters of the alphabet

Struggles to match letters to sounds, such as not knowing what sounds b or h make

Has difficulty blending sounds into words, such as connecting C-H-A-T to the word chat

Struggles to pronounce words correctly, such as saying 'mawn lower' instead of 'lawn mower'

Has difficulty learning new words

Has a smaller vocabulary than other kids the same age

Has trouble learning to count or say the days of the week and other common word sequences

Has trouble rhyming

Warning Signs in Grade School or Middle School

Struggles with reading and spelling

Confuses the order of letters, such as writing 'left' instead of 'felt'

Has trouble remembering facts and numbers

Has difficulty gripping a pencil

Has difficulty using proper grammar

Has trouble learning new skills and relies heavily on memorization

Gets tripped up by word problems in math

Has a tough time sounding out unfamiliar words

Has trouble following a sequence of directions

Warning Signs in High School

Struggles with reading out loud

Doesn't read at the expected grade level

Has trouble understanding jokes or idioms

Has difficulty organizing and managing time

Struggles to summarize a story

Has difficulty learning a foreign language

Skills that are affected by Dyslexia-

Dyslexia doesn't just affect reading and writing. Here are some everyday skills and activities your child may be struggling with because of this learning issue:

General

Appears bright, highly intelligent, and articulate but unable to read, write, or spell at grade level.

Labelled lazy, dumb, careless, immature, "not trying hard enough," or "behavior problem."

Isn't "behind enough" or "bad enough" to be helped in the school setting.

High in IQ, yet may not test well academically; tests well orally, but not written.

Feels dumb; has poor self-esteem; hides or covers up weaknesses with ingenious compensatory strategies; easily frustrated and emotional about school reading or testing.

Talented in art, drama, music, sports, mechanics, story-telling, sales, business, designing, building, or engineering.

Seems to "Zone out" or daydream often; gets lost easily or loses track of time.

Difficulty sustaining attention; seems "hyper" or "daydreamer."

Learns best through hands-on experience, demonstrations, experimentation, observation, and visual aids.

Vision, Reading, and Spelling Skills

Complains of dizziness, headaches or stomach aches while reading.

Confused by letters, numbers, words, sequences, or verbal explanations.

Reading or writing shows repetitions, additions, transpositions, omissions, substitutions, and reversals in letters, numbers and/or words.

Complains of feeling or seeing non-existent movement while reading, writing, or copying.

Seems to have difficulty with vision, yet eye exams don't reveal a problem.

Extremely keen sighted and observant, or lacks depth perception and peripheral vision.

Reads and rereads with little comprehension.

Spells phonetically and inconsistently.

Hearing and Speech Skills

Has extended hearing; hears things not said or apparent to others; easily distracted by sounds.

Difficulty putting thoughts into words; speaks in halting phrases; leaves sentences incomplete; stutters under stress; mispronounces long words, or transposes phrases, words, and syllables when speaking.

Writing and Motor Skills

Trouble with writing or copying; pencil grip is unusual; handwriting varies or is illegible.

Clumsy, uncoordinated, poor at ball or team sports; difficulties with fine and/or gross motor skills and tasks; prone to motion-sickness.

Can be ambidextrous, and often confuses left/right, over/under.

Math and Time Management Skills

Has difficulty telling time, managing time, learning sequenced information or tasks, or being on time.

Computing math shows dependence on finger counting and other tricks; knows answers, but can't do it on paper.

Can count, but has difficulty counting objects and dealing with money.

Can do arithmetic, but fails word problems; cannot grasp algebra or higher math.

Memory and Cognition

Excellent long-term memory for experiences, locations, and faces.

Poor memory for sequences, facts and information that has not been experienced.

Thinks primarily with images and feeling, not sounds or words (little internal dialogue).

Behavior, Health, Development and Personality

Extremely disorderly or compulsively orderly.

Can be class clown, trouble-maker, or too quiet.

Had unusually early or late developmental stages (talking, crawling, walking, tying shoes).

Prone to ear infections; sensitive to foods, additives, and chemical products.

Can be an extra deep or light sleeper; bedwetting beyond appropriate age.

Unusually high or low tolerance for pain.

Strong sense of justice; emotionally sensitive; strives for perfection.

What can be done at home for dyslexia?

Helping your child with dyslexia can be a challenge, particularly if you're never been confident in your own reading and writing skills. But you don't have to be an expert to help work on certain skills or strengthen your child's self-esteem.

Keep in mind that kids (and families) are all different, so not all options will work for you. Don't panic if the first strategies you try aren't effective. You may need to try several approaches to find what works best for your child. Here are some things you can try at home:

Read out loud every day

Tap into your child's interests

Use audiobooks

Look for apps and other high-tech help

Focus on effort, not outcome

Make your home reader-friendly

Boost confidence

What can make the journey easier?

Dyslexia can present challenges for your child and for you. But with the proper support, almost all people with dyslexia can become accurate readers. Your involvement will help tremendously.

Wherever you are in your journey, whether you're just starting out or are well on your way, this site can help you find more ways to support your child. Here are a few things that can help make the journey easier:

Connect with other parents. Remember that you're not alone. Use our safe online community to find parents like you.

Get behavior advice. Parenting Coach offers expert-approved strategies on a variety of issues that can affect children with dyslexia, including trouble with time management, anxiety and fear, frustration and low self-esteem.

Build a support plan. Come up with a game plan and anticipate what lies ahead.

Understanding dyslexia and looking for ways to help your child is an important first step. There's a lot you can do just don't feel you have to do everything all at once. Pace yourself. If you try a bunch of strategies at the same time, it might be hard to figure out which ones are working. And do your best to stay positive. Your love and support can make a big difference in your child's life.

9 Dyslexia Signs & Symptoms - Your Kid is Suffering from it!

Did you know that there are certain foods that increase your child's height naturally? Foods that are rich in essential nutrients such as Vitamins, Calcium, Zinc, Magnesium etc can prove to be highly instrumental in adding extra inches to your child's height. Read on...

1. Whole Grains - Whole grains are rich sources of Zinc, Magnesium and Vitamin B, which play a very vital role in promoting your child's growth during his/her budding years. Additionally, whole grains also contain calories and carbohydrates, which ensure the maintenance of proper weight in your child, imparting him/her with the requisite energy to go on throughout the day. Feed your child whole-grain breads, cereals and pastas to make him healthier and taller.

2. Milk - Milk contains calcium and Vitamin D, which help in bone development during the growing years of a child, besides increasing his/her physical strength. Milk also helps in assimilating different proteins making it one of the best foods to be consumed by your child for attaining a good height. Three servings of milk, or milk products such as cheese or yoghurt, each day will suffice your child's Vitamin D and calcium requirement.

3. Fruits and Vegetables - Fruits are excellent sources of Vitamin A, which is instrumental in ensuring an enhanced rate of bone growth in your child, consequently making him/her taller. You can include carrots, mangoes, sweet potatoes, spinach etc. in your child?s diet to aid his/her height growth. It's advisable to provide him/her with 3 to 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.

4. Eggs - To ensure that your child grows taller naturally, providing him/her with a protein rich diet is very crucial. Eggs contain ample amount of protein needed to keep your child energetic throughout the day and help him/her grow taller. One to two eggs per day is considered to be the ideal intake amount for a child.

5. Soybeans - Soybeans are rich sources of protein and help in enhancing the growth of bones and muscles of your child, which in turn adds to his/her height during the budding years. You can cook various soybean dishes or you can add ground soybean powder to the dough while making rotis to make soybean a part of your child?s diet.

Although a child's height is also dependent on his/her genes, a well balanced diet containing these super-foods will increase your child's chances of growing to the fullest to attain a good height.



5 Foods That'll Help Increase Your Child's Height Naturally

Adenoids refer to the mass of lymphatic tissue situated at the intersection of the back of the nose and throat. They are a part of the body's immune system and play a noteworthy part in battling infections in kids. Adenoids fight off the microbes and infection that enter the body through the nose. They typically occur in children of five to seven years of age and from that point, they begin to decrease. They vanish when the child gets older. This is the physiological development and relapse of the adenoids. However, permanent adenoids are an issue in view of a number of annoying symptoms they show in a child. The major among these are breathing through the mouth and wheezing because of nasal blockage.

Homeopathic medicines are a very safe option than surgery in kids with extended adenoids. It has been noted that adenoids, when surgically removed, tend to regrow. Homeopathic medicines focus on strengthening the child s immune system. The cures are as follows:

Baryta Carb: Baryta Carb is one of the top recorded homeopathic medications for swollen adenoids. It is likewise the medicine to endorse where both tonsils and adenoids are broadened. The child feels sensitive to ice in extremes. The tiniest exposure to icy air causes cough. Cough also shows up at the slightest change in climate. Sneezing and thick yellow nasal release may be seen. Pain in the throat increases on gulping.
Calcarea Carb: Calcarea Carb is another brilliant homeopathic medicine for amplified adenoids with the tendency to get infected. Calcarea Carb will be recommended where the youngster is exceptionally helpless to cold and falls sick after each such introduction. This weak immune system for diseases brings about broadened adenoids or tonsils.
Agraphis Nutans and Merc Sol: Agraphis Nutans and Merc Sol are extremely helpful homeopathic medicines for treating ear grumblings because of expanded adenoids. Agraphis Nutans is the best treatment for deafness because of expanded adenoids. Homeopathic prescription Merc Sol is highly used in case of an ear infection connected with swollen adenoids.
Kali Sulphuricum: Kali Sulphuricum is among one of the top recorded homeopathic solutions for adenoids that regrow after surgery. The symptoms controlling utilisation of Kali Sulphuricum are a blocked nose, mouth breathing and wheezing. Yellow coloured nasal release is also common.
Ammonium Carb and Sambucus Nigra: Ammonium Carb and Sambucus Nigra are incredibly helpful homeopathic medicines for developed adenoids. A youngster that needs these drugs will have an increased nasal blockage. The nasal hindrance is most set apart around evening time. Breathing through the mouth because of a blocked nose is also very common. Ammonium Carb is likewise used for a seeping nose, particularly in the morning.

Contemplating Adenoid Surgery - Try Homeopathy First for Your Child?

Bathing  the newborn baby is a pleasurable experience both for the mother and the baby. It can also be defined as a process through which the mother and child bond. A mother understands the requirements of the child and the baby adapts itself to the cleanliness regime of the mother.
When should I start bathing my new born baby?
According to guidelines of WHO, initial bath for a term newborn weighing more than 2.5kg should be given 6 hours after birth. In the term low birth weight babies weighing less than 2.5kgs, only sponge bath is to be given, till the weight crosses 2.5kg.
Dip baths can be given once the umbilical cord falls off i.e. by 7 -10 days. Till then sponge baths are to be given.
How should I bathe my baby?
The room should be warm and free from draught of air as a wet baby can easily catch the chill. Check the temperature of the bath water before placing the baby in the bath tub. The depth of the water should be 5 cms upto the hip of the baby. Eyes can be cleaned by using one sterile water-soaked cotton swab for each eye. The Head should be washed last and dried first to prevent exposure due to large surface area. Pay special attention to skin folds of the neck, behind the ears, underarms, and diaper area. Also wash between the fingers and the toes.
What cleanser/ soap should I use for my baby?
Do not use soap for the first 1 month of life. After that, use any mild unmedicated soap or liquid cleanser with acidic/ neutral pH, that maintains the pH of the baby's skin. Avoid scented soaps and bubble baths.
How frequently should I bathe my baby?
In summer months, daily baths can be given. In winters, dip bath may be given twice/thrice a week and rest of the days, it is preferable to sponge the baby.
Hair wash can be given twice  a week.
A word of caution:
Never leave your baby unattended  to in the bath tub.Bath tub should be disinfected after use.

How Should I Bath My Baby

Fluoride products for the teeth have immense importance in dentistry. Fluoride is one such chemical, the balance of which is highly required for strong and healthy teeth. However, there is an optimum amount of fluoride needed for teeth. Anything lesser than that or greater than that can cause harm and serious teeth and gum problems and tooth decay. The best option, therefore, is to get a fluoride based toothpaste or mouthwash, which will keep on providing the teeth with the optimum quantity of its daily dose of fluoride.

The benefits of fluoride products
Before delving into the types of fluoride products available, let's have a look at the benefits of fluoride on teeth. Fluorides actually save the teeth from dental caries. It happens such that fluoride makes a certain mineral bonding on the teeth which is called fluorapatite. This is not normally found in human teeth, but when teeth damage is done, then to heal it fast this compound is needed to repair the damages. This adds to the mineral bonding in the teeth and strengthens the teeth.  

The fluoride products
The various fluoride based products, which you may use are as follows:

1. Fluoridated water: Fluoridating water is a simple process where the optimum amount of fluoride is mixed with drinking water so that drinking the water automatically keeps on adding fluoride to the body and keeps in contact with teeth. This therapy alone is enough and needs no more therapies generally. But not all water reserves contain this, and it's not possible to add fluorides to all water reserves. That is why the other fluoride treatments are needed.

2. Fluoride toothpaste: This is one of the most common forms for fluoride treatments. Every common daily use toothpaste contains a 0.22 to 0.312 percent of fluoride, and this is highly beneficial to the teeth for healing of decay and fast repairs. It lets the teeth get stronger. 

3. Mouth Rinses: Fluoride mouth rinses are an option. The sodium fluorides commonly used in the rinses are used in small amounts in the product which is used just like toothpaste and washed off.

4. Fluoride foams and gels: The foam and gel are used when the teeth of the child or adult are under high risk of cavities. The foam or gel is rubbed on the teeth, and kept for a while and then washed off. The typical application time is 30 minutes. 

5. Varnishes: The fluoride varnishes are just like gels, and they are also used on the tooth surface similarly. It's the choice of the dentist or patient as to which one they want to go with. Besides, these slow fluoride releasing devices, medical supplements and lozenges are also there, which slowly release the optimum amount of fluorides to keep the teeth strong and healing.

Use of Fluoride Products for Teeth

4 Foods That Strengthen Your Child’s Teeth

Kids have a mind of their own when it comes to food. The unhealthier it is, the more they tend to like it. Most taste driven or sweet foods are harmful for your child’s oral hygiene. However not all foods that your children like to eat are as bad for their oral health, some even help strengthen their teeth.

Here are 4 foods that your children can have for healthy teeth and gums.

1) Sugarless Gum - It helps loosen plaque and increase the number of natural antibodies in the mouth. It also keeps the gums hydrated. While too much of anything is not good, these gums are good once in a while.

2)  Crispy Vegetables  - These might not be popular with children but can be made yummy with interesting dips to go with them. Raw carrots, celery, cauliflower, and green beans are chewing foods which clean the child's teeth and gums.

3) Natural Sugar - Sugar from milk, yoghurt and cheese are rich in vitamin D, phosphate and calcium. When consumed, they raise the pH level of the mouth which lowers the level of acids, hence reducing risk of tooth decay.

4) Vitamin C Rich Foods - Fruits like oranges, kiwis, strawberries, papayas and limes help kill bacteria that can cause gingivitis. They also aid a good supply of collagen in the child's gums. However, parents need to remember that one can eat citrus foods only after thirty minutes from brushing their teeth. This is because the citric acid in these foods can weaken the tooth enamel temporarily.


If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'Consult'.

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4 Foods That Strengthen Your Child’s Teeth

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