Dyslexia early test can detect reading weakness

Dyslexia: Early test for three-year-olds should reveal reading and spelling weakness

14.02.2012

Every year, around 35,000 children with reading and writing difficulties are enrolled in Germany. Often, parents and teachers do not learn about dyslexia until school, when children confuse letters and have difficulty reading. Scientists from Leipzig have now launched a research project to develop an early test for three-year-olds to detect reading and spelling weaknesses.

Reading and spelling weakness is recognizable in the brain
Thanks to previous studies in this area, it is now known that the brain of children with literacy and spelling problems processes language differently. Affected children find it much harder to write down and read what they are hearing. Unfortunately, parents and teachers usually do not learn about their children's difficulties until they reach school, even though they do not make any progress in reading and writing despite remedial lessons and tutoring sessions. School failure can be the result. To counteract this, it should be started early with appropriate therapies.

Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences and the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology have now started a joint research project. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and electroencephalography (EEG), the brains of toddlers will be examined to provide future dyslexic therapists with training prior to enrollment. For example, children could make great progress in kindergarten and significantly reduce their handicap. According to the Leipzig researchers, it should be possible to make a confirmed diagnosis, even before the child begins to read and write. „With our early test, we would be able to identify a dyslexia risk at the age of three. This would be a big step forward“, explains Jens Brauer, neuropsychologist at the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig.

Speech processing in the brain starts very early
Scientist has long been known that dyslexics process language differently. Speech processing starts very early in the human brain and is partly hereditary. The Leipzig scientists now want to search in the brains of toddlers for neural signatures and genetic patterns that are similar to those of schoolchildren and adults with dyslexia.

A research team from Boston published their study results late last year. According to this, reduced metabolism processes in certain regions of the brain occur in children from families with reading and writing difficulties. For this study, the Boston researchers examined preschool children using MRI while listening. The result confirmed the observations of educators and therapists: some children have difficulty processing speech, but this is not related to hearing. So the subjects had some problems with rhyming and rhythmic word decomposition.

Dyslexia is not recognized as a disease in Germany
The Leipzig scientists will investigate whether the three-year-old subjects develop a reading and spelling weakness later in their lives. How this works is explained by psychologist Arndt Wilcke from the Leipzig Fraunhofer Institute: „We expect to be able to use a certain component in the EEG as a predictive sign. This component is an automatic brain response when it distinguishes between two stimuli.“ Holger Kirsten, geneticist adds: „In conjunction with additional genetic markers, we want to develop an easily established early test. Such a screening process would ideally be open to all interested parents.“

In contrast to the Boston scientists, the Leipzig researchers will not only consider the circulation of the brain in certain areas, but also perform anatomical recordings to determine the degree of maturity of the nerve fiber connections. If the Leipzigers succeed in physically demonstrating their learning disability, this would mean that health insurance companies would have to pay for the therapy costs in the future. So far, they only took over the diagnosis costs at the psychiatrist. The World Health Organization (WHO) has long been reporting dyslexia as a disease in its catalog. In Germany, this is still pending. Parents are now hoping for the Leipzig scientists.

Specialized therapies for children with dyslexia
School psychologist Barbara Klemm-Röbig reports from her school day: „The schools should promote dyslexics. But the teachers are not trained in the study and have little time. That is why I organize trainings for teachers to help them better.“ In addition, in cases in which the funding is insufficient, a therapy with specialists is necessary. The school psychologist further reports that the youth welfare office is paying the costs of such therapies, but only after one year of unsuccessful help from teachers. But that was lost time.

There are already exercise programs for kindergarten children, but these are not yet mandatory and require qualified and committed educators. The Würzburger program includes, for example, accurate listening as well as rhyme and word formation. This type of support can help children with reading and writing difficulties to reduce their weaknesses at an early age.

Developing an early dyslexia exam will allow children to start special therapies and support programs before the school starts. You could be spared a difficult start in school. Dyslexics often suffer psychologically from their weakness, have little self-confidence, which can continue into adulthood. Ultimately, it is the task of society, not to exclude people with handicaps, but to promote and support. Graduate pedagogue Sebastian Bertram from Hannover reports: „Specialized therapies and training are important for dyslexics to have the same opportunities at work but also in private life. Lack of self-esteem, which afflicts sufferers often, has a massive impact on mental health. Dyslexia is not a sign of lack of intelligence. It is just a reading and writing weakness that can be treated well if started in time.“ (Ag)

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Image: Benjamin Thorn