Welcome to the October monthly column on our brains, what interferes with their function, and how technology can help overcome problems and impairments. Specific learning impairments (SLI ) such as dyslexia, Asperger’s, dyspraxia, autism, and ADHD; general learning difficulties (GLD ) such as poor memory, phonics, inability to process and sequence information that we hear, following directions from a teacher or a boss, grammar, word analysis, vocabulary, listening comprehension, confidence and self esteem, social interactions, learning, reading, language, speech, concentration and focus, and sentence and paragraph comprehension; and central nervous system disorders (CNSD ) such as depression, schizophrenia, bipolar, stroke, TBI, PTSD, dementia, Alzheimer’s, and mild cognitive impairment can all be helped with new validated software.
Of interest is an abstract from the HSE website [by permission]: “Speech and language impairment is one of the most common types of disorders in childhood. Young children who have speech and language difficulties are at risk of continued communication problems as well as associated cognitive, behavioural, social, and psychiatric difficulties. Language impaired children are also at high risk for learning difficulties and consequently behavioural problems may develop as a result of the difficulties these children face in an academic setting. Between 50 and 90 per cent of children who have language impairments at age three continue to have language difficulties throughout their childhood. Many develop reading difficulties. Timely assessment and intervention is crucial in reducing the long-term implications of speech and language impairment.”
Dyslexia is the most common learning disability in children and persists throughout life. The sooner dyslexia is treated, the more favourable the outcome, however it is never too late, even for adults, to learn to improve their language, learning, reading, or speech skills. An important factor in dyslexia is auditory processing disorder (APD ) where a person cannot process or sequence (sorting and putting information in the correct order ) information that he/she hears. Parents have to repeat requests many times before the child acts. Children with dyslexia can also have difficulty in learning to read despite traditional instruction. Reading comprehension is an important skill, especially in understanding exam questions. Around half the dyslexic population is also likely to have dyspraxia, and vice versa. Current evidence suggests that up to 20 per cent of the population may be affected to some degree by one or both of these conditions. The November article will be about dyspraxia.
Griffin Tuition, located in NUIG, provides Fast ForWord® the world renowned, scientifically validated, software programme designed by world neuroscientists to help with SLI and GLD and automatically adapts to a students’ abilities, taking on average just 16 weeks to complete, and the improvements last.
To book a screening (cost €50 ), phone Griffin Tuition in NUIG at (091 ) 589771. There is a Fast ForWord® resource tab for teachers and parents online at www.griffintuition.ie
