Dyslexia is a condition that causes difficulties in spelling, reading and writing amongst other things.
It arises from weaknesses in the processing of information, especially when that information is language based.
If you have a dyslexic child, you may have noticed that their social skills are different from those of other children.
You may wonder why, and the following will help to explain: Dyslexic children have a hard time with writing, spelling and reading tasks, but schools are placing greater emphasis on literacy skills.
When placed in a classroom with other pupils who do not struggle in these areas, the dyslexic child will feel a failure.
Accordingly, he will start to feel stupid, incompetent or slow, which will greatly lower his self esteem.
He may then find it hard to make friends or even interact with others in the classroom.
Dyslexia affect's a child's language skills.
Children with dyslexia usually have trouble finding the right words to express themselves.
For this reason, they may stammer or even pause for long periods of time before responding to questions.
What is more, they may have a hard time reading the social cues which may cause them to appear insensitive to the body language of those close to them.
This may not seem much of a problem when the child is in primary school.
However, as children become teenagers and enter high school this becomes a major problem.
They may be unable to hold conversations or even make friends with their peers.
The short-term memory, personal organization and concentration in a child with dyslexia may also be affected.
The child may find it considerably difficult to finish an assignment that would take other children less time to complete.
The child's problems are compounded especially when children have to work on school projects in groups.
A dyslexic child may not be able to work at the same pace as other children.
The other children may make fun of the child, and refuse to work with them on subsequent projects.
Again, this makes it very hard for a dyslexic child to associate with others.
If a child is being teased he may become introverted; not wanting to interact with others for fear that they will make fun of him.
By showering dyslexic children with lots of praise, giving them certificates, gold stars and credits for assignments that are well done, parents and teachers can help keep their self-esteem levels up.
It is also important to focus more on areas where the dyslexic child has strengths, such as sports, physical education, arts and crafts.
These are areas that some dyslexic children excel in.
Receiving praise for doing well in these areas will make children feel satisfied and also boost their levels of self confidence.
It can also be a way of gaining acceptance by their peers.