What Causes Dylexia?

Kids with dyslexia are born with the condition, although its cause isn’t always clear. In many cases, dyslexia runs in families, indicating a genetic component.

When people with dyslexia read, they use areas of the brain that people without this condition don’t use when reading. This hinders the entire process, making reading slower and more difficult.

How is Dyslexia Diagnosed?

The staff of Scottish Rite for Children has been diagnosing and treating children with dyslexia since 1965. In fact, we hosted the 1968 meeting of the Word Federation of Neurology, where the first widely accepted definition of dyslexia was developed.

A single test or online quiz to identify dyslexia does not exist. Instead, diagnosing this learning disorder, and other learning disorders, requires a comprehensive evaluation by specially trained clinicians. At the Luke Waites Center for Dyslexia and Learning Disorders, we provide evaluations to children ages 5 to 14. While we are known for our dyslexia evaluations, we also identify several other disorders that impact learning. This may include dysgraphia, math disorder, and coexisting mental health disorders.

Comprehensive evaluations through the Luke Waites Center for Dyslexia and Learning Disorders include measures to assess your child’s academic skills, cognitive and developmental abilities, and social and emotional functioning. At the end of the evaluation process, one of our skilled clinicians will discuss diagnostic findings, provide recommendations, and ensure you have solid next steps to follow.

To be eligible for an evaluation, your child must be proficient in English and have a suspected learning disorder or challenge. Once you complete the application process, our team will review your documentation to make certain we are able to best serve your child.

How is Dyslexia Treated?

Medications don’t treat dyslexia. The most effective treatment is intensive education intervention to help your child improve phonemic awareness (the ability to pair letters to sounds and turn sounds into words) and develop their reading and writing skills. Children with specific learning disabilities, including dyslexia, are eligible by law to receive accommodations in public schools, including special instruction and more time to complete assignments.

At Scottish Rite, we developed Take Flight: A Comprehensive Curriculum for Students with Dyslexia. This program helps kids build phonemic awareness, expand vocabulary and improve reading comprehension. Participating students take classes in the Dyslexia Laboratory on our Dallas campus four days per week for two school years. Each class includes a daily, 90-minute small group session. Academic language therapists lead our Take Flight classes.

Your child may be eligible to participate in Take Flight if they have dyslexia and don’t receive specialized services at school. Your child’s school will need to agree to release them to attend Take Flight during the school day. They’ll continue to receive regular academic services at school. With proven, evidence-based instruction through Take Flight, your child can develop the skills they need to be successful in school and life.

Dyslexia Research at Scottish Rite

As a global leader in diagnosing and treating dyslexia, our specialists are committed to advancing the study of this condition and improving the effectiveness of care.

Our team conducts research to better understand why language-based learning disorders develop. We partner with universities and school districts throughout the U.S. to study the learning variations that exist among children with dyslexia, and what we can do to refine our treatments to meet every child’s needs. We’ll continue to innovate so all children have the opportunity to read, write and thrive, inside and outside the classroom.