OnTrack Reading

Exercise is, I believe, the missing piece of the Dyslexia Puzzle, but so far it’s just an informed hunch based on a lot of factors. This page of the Guide has been inserted just to inform you, as a parent or teacher, of the need to investigate this area further. You will not, as of now, find much information on my website regarding what I’m calling The Exercise Piece of the Dyslexia Puzzle.

In time, you will find a page discussing the cerebellum, because research is starting to home in on that portion of the brain, called the mid-brain, as a culprit in delayed development. And remember, I view dyslexia as just one component of a pattern of delayed development across several fronts, from speech to movement to language and visual areas, and having a genetic cause.

You might also eventually find on this site discussions of various programs that address childhood development issues, such as the Dore Centers (a clinic-based program aimed directly at cerebellar development), Balametrics (a home-based program of developmental exercises), The Institute for Neuro - Physiological Psychology (INPP) in Great Britain with an emphasis on primitive reflexes, as well as school-sponsored developmental exercise programs such as the Minnesota Learning Resource Center program called S.M.A.R.T/Boost Up. [Notice: As of May 2008 the Dore Centers in the UK and Australia have been closed down due to failing finances. The Dore Centers in other countries including the US and New Zealand were not immediately affected, but obviously potential clients should take this into consideration]

In addition, you will find a discussion on how many of the various programs which purport to target dyslexia seem to tie together in that they address issues that could be caused by an underdeveloped cerebellum, a condition the Dore Centers refer to as Cerebellar Development Delay.

I’m prematurely inserting this page because if you are the parent of a very young child (birth to age five) and are concerned about your child’s potential to be dyslexic, this an area that you should research. I have little evidence for the following statement but read it closely anyway and do with it what you wish:

I believe that it might be possible to combine a developmental exercise program with proper dietary supplementation to override a genetic predisposition to dyslexia. (See also The Diet Piece, which covers possible links between dyslexia and shortages in our diets of both Omega-3 essential fatty acids and Vitamin D3. )

I may eventually be proven wrong, but that is the assumption I would be operating under if I was concerned about a child of mine possibly being dyslexic. I would also not be surprised to find that the roots of autism and Asperger’s are found in the same place, that is, an underdeveloped cerebellum, possibly due to insufficient levels of either Omega-3’s or Vitamin D3, or both. Always keep in mind, though, that I am speculating here.

The next piece of the dyslexia puzzle concerns some school policies and how they could affect you as you try to address the needs of a struggling reader.

Next topic: The Policy Piece (of the dyslexia puzzle), or return to the Home Page