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Apart from dyslexia and dysgraphia, dysorthography is a disorder faced by children all over the world. The causes should be sought in microdamages to the central nervous system in the womb. Interesting exercises and reading books can be a way to get dysorthography.
What is dissorthography?
Dysorthography is a type of specific disorder that consists in spelling words incorrectly. It manifests itself in childhood, in the first years of education and can be manifested through:
- confusing the spelling of the word with the pronunciation (e.g. ‘pew’ – ‘łfka’),
- omitting certain letters, and sometimes even whole syllables,
- combining nouns with prepositions (e.g. ‘at home’),
- confusing letters graphically (e.g. l-ł or in a mirror image bd),
- problems with spelling words containing compound sounds (sz, rz, dz, etc.),
- making classic spelling mistakes (o-o, h-ch etc.)
It is much easier to recognize dysorthography in a child when it is accompanied by dyslexia (reading difficulties) or dysgraphia (writing difficulties, shapeless writing). However, the signal for the teacher may be even much slower spelling by a specific student compared to his peers. Dysorthography affects children who show correct development in every other area. They are also able to learn the rules of correct spelling, but cannot put it on paper. The diagnosis of the disorder is most effective in the first years of study. Dyslexia in adults may be the result of neglect in education at school age.
Where does dysorthography come from?
The cause of dysorthography is not ignorance of grammar rules, but a disturbance of visual or auditory perception. In learning to write, the functions of sight and hearing are important, as well as fine motor skills (folding fingers and hands), gross motor skills (physical fitness), vocabulary and correct articulation. If the development of any of these functions is disturbed, dysorthography may appear. What is the cause of the disorder? Most likely, microdamage to the central nervous system is still present in the fetus or as a result of complications during childbirth.
Treatment of dysorthography
One way to confirm a child’s writing disorder is a special dysorthography test. A diagnostic test is performed at a psychological and pedagogical clinic. When the diagnosis is affirmative, treatment should be started. It consists in performing exercises that will make it easier for the child to learn the rules of spelling.
Exercises for dysorthography involve not only the child, but also parents and teachers. They require time and attention. It is worth doing them under the supervision of a specialist – a speech therapist or educator. They should be diverse, attractive and encouraging to learn. Sometimes, in the case of dysorthography, puzzles and rebuses are enough to make certain words memorable to the child faster. In children with impaired hearing functions, rhymes and songs work well. In older children with dysorthography, it is worth instilling a willingness to read books. Words that appear regularly in full sentences can trigger a series of associations and help your child remember the spelling.