Reading Instruction Helps Children with Dyslexia

A new study, published in the latest issue of the journal Neurology (2003;61:212-219) finds just three weeks of reading instruction can help improve the brain function in children with dyslexia.

It is estimated that 10 percent to 15 percent of school-aged children experience reading and spelling disabilities. Early diagnosis and proper treatment is crucial for these children. Researchers from the University of Washington in Seattle conducted a study to see if reading instruction would change the brain activity in children with dyslexia.

The children included in the study were diagnosed with dyslexia and had above average intelligence but scored 30 percent lower than average on standard reading tests. These children and a group of good readers underwent a functional MRI to look at the brain activity patterns during reading tests. The children with dyslexia then underwent a 3-week training program. All of the children had a second brain scan. The study was done during the summer vacations to avoid conflict with what the children learned in school.

Researchers say the brain scans showed both the dyslexic children and the normal readers used the same specific parts of their brains to perform reading tasks. However, in the first brain scan the levels of activation in the brain were much weaker in the dyslexic children. This explains the poorer performance of these children. However, after the 3-week reading program the levels of the brain activation were essentially the same in the two groups. Study authors say this indicates that instruction does not rewire the brain of the dyslexic child, but instead strengthens the normal circuits, which are already in use.

The study reports comprehensive reading instruction is beneficial to dyslexic children and associated with changes in brain function. Researchers say specialized instruction can help dyslexic children with some types of reading problems.