Early Brain Changes May Indicate Dyslexia

Jan 23, 2012
MRI images show brain activity of children with and without family history of dyslexia.

A group of researchers say they may be close to finding a way to resolve what’s known as the “dyslexia paradox”: the fact that the earlier a child is diagnosed with dyslexia, the easier it is to treat, but because the disorder is characterized by difficulty in reading and speaking, it is not typically diagnosed until a child reaches third grade, which many experts consider to be late.

Many children diagnosed with dyslexia exhibit insufficient brain activities in the rear left side of the brain, which is responsible for the development of language skills, according Nadine Gaab, associate professor of pediatrics at Children’s Hospital in Boston and co-author of the study. Children with a family history of the condition are at higher risk to develop dyslexia.

The children were followed until they reached third grade, and those with a family history of the condition showed less brain activity in the back left side of the brain compared to those with no family history of dyslexia.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2012/01/23/children-brain-changes-may-detect-dyslexia/