Prevention of specific learning disorders in early stages

Abstract

IntroductionSpecific learning disorders as defined in the DSM-5 are frequently diagnosed among children – 4–9% for reading deficits – (DSM-5, 2013). As any deficit can contribute not only to a child's emotional distress, it can also result in academic failure or school abandonment. Therefore, prevention measures should be considered.ObjectivesThe present study's objective was to compare the influence of a set of primary prevention measures on children's performance in reading and writing and improve their reading and writing.AimsWe aimed to prevent specific learning disorders–dyslexia and dysgraphia in children from the second to their third year in the educational system.MethodsOnly children from the second year of school were considered (grade I). Children with clear potential for developing specific learning disorders were included in the present study. Children with any other comorbidity were excluded from the data analysis. Four experimental groups were considered – one control and three interventional – 1. Control, 2. COPS method, 3. Meixner principles, and 4. COPS method combined with Meixner principles and considering improvement of reading images, image filling, graphical schema orientation and discrimination, spatial and temporal orientation, orientation of objects, fine motor skills, temporal sequences, attention for details, perception of differences.ResultsFindings indicated that the use of the combined methods significantly improved children's performance in reading and writing. Though all interventional methods improved children's performance. Results comparison was computed.ConclusionsEarly prevention programs which that target both reading and writing can improve children's performance in reading and writing.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.