Dyslexia is a topic that is gaining increasing attention in the international education scene. This year, Dyslexia Day 2024 was an opportunity for Professor Ifeoma Udoye to share scientifically proven methods to combat this learning disorder in school-aged children. The event, organized by the Women Foundation for Improved Living Standards in collaboration with Nwafor Orizu College Primary School, Anambra State, highlighted the importance of early detection of dyslexia.
In her keynote address, Professor Udoye stressed the need for parents and teachers to be vigilant for early warning signs in young children, including pronunciation and rhyme difficulties. She also stressed the importance of observing children’s inability to connect the dots between print and language, such as naming individual letters. Among the key recommendations, she stressed the importance of knowing family history and being alert to genetically transmitted problems related to speaking, reading, writing or learning foreign languages.
Dyslexia, she explained, is not a disease but a reading learning disorder that affects a child’s ability to identify and manipulate linguistic sounds or understand new words. She revealed that one in five children were affected by dyslexia and that 80 to 90% of children with learning disabilities were classified as dyslexic. Unfortunately, many children go undiagnosed, which can lead to problems of low self-esteem, anxiety and depression.
Professor Udoye stressed the importance of early detection and intervention, indicating that 70% of dyslexic children who receive educational intervention in kindergarten or first grade become proficient readers and reveal other hidden talents. She called on governments, policy makers, parents and teachers to take collective action to combat dyslexia among children nationwide.
The conference was also attended by several other speakers including the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Anambra State, Obiora Nwachukwu, who commended the efforts of the organizers and stressed the need for public awareness campaigns to end stereotypes and stigmatization of dyslexic children. He assured that the Anambra State Government was firmly committed to combating the problem of dyslexia in schools in the state.
Another speaker, Mr. Ezenwanne Obinna, disclosed that 32 million school children in Nigeria suffered from dyslexia, with a 30 to 50 percent chance of genetic inheritance. He stressed that dyslexic people can still succeed in life, citing personalities such as billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson, celebrity journalist Anderson Cooper, actress Jennifer Anniston, among others.
The event was marked by cultural performances and plays by students of Nwafor Orizu College Primary School, adding a fun and educational dimension to this dyslexia awareness day. In short, the conference highlighted the urgency of detecting and treating dyslexia in children at an early age, underscoring the importance of putting in place educational policies and interventions to help dyslexic children achieve their full potential.