October is National Dyslexia Awareness Month and local brain training company LearningRx Chattanooga is offering free screenings for struggling readers on Oct. 19.
“Most people who have observed their child struggling to read probably know the basics: dyslexia isn’t really about reversing letters, it makes reading difficult, and even smart kids can be dyslexic,” said Michelle Hecker Davis, Director of LearningRx Chattanooga. “But thanks to things like neuroimaging, there’s a lot of new research about the science of dyslexia – from its causes to how to essentially eradicate it.”
One piece of evidence that continues to appear in scientific studies is that the only proven solution to treat the root cause of dyslexia (i.e. weak cognitive skills) is with brain training.
Unlike digital brain training games, intensive, one-on-one brain training uses the brain’s plasticity to rebuild neural connections, find faster routes to process information and increase the processing speed of existing neural connections.
“Most parents don’t even know this type of ‘brain training’ exists,” said Ms. Davis. “This isn’t magic, it’s science. A cognitive skills expert can literally change a student’s brain through one-on-one training to help him/her learn better and retain information. It’s not tutoring – it’s improving the underlying skills, like auditory processing and processing speed – needed to learn and perform tasks well. It’s like strength conditioning for the brain.”
Parents or grandparents can call to schedule an appointment for the free screening on October 19th, which will measure the cognitive skills associated with reading struggles. Availability is limited, and an appointment is required, so those families interested are encouraged to call in advance as soon as possible.
For more information, or to schedule your appointment, please contact Michelle Hecker Davis of LearningRx in Chattanooga at m.davis@learningrx.net or 305-1599.