RIYADH: A project aiming to support and empower people with learning disabilities was launched in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, coinciding with World Dyslexia Day.
The initiative will address the challenges faced by those with dyslexia, and plans to equip their families, educators and healthcare professionals with additional tools to provide support.
Bahareth said people with dyslexia often encountered difficulties due to the impact on their reading, writing and overall learning capabilities. (SPA)
“It is crucial to remember that 70 percent of history’s most groundbreaking inventions came from minds shaped by dyslexia,” said Mohammad Bahareth, the scheme’s supervisor, citing Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and Nikola Tesla.
Dyslexia is initially diagnosed by a neurologist or psychiatrist. To receive additional support in the Kingdom, people need a medical report and disability certificate from authorities accredited by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.
Dyslexia is initially diagnosed by a neurologist or psychiatrist. (SPA)
People with dyslexia often have normal or above-average intelligence, and many are capable of performing well in school. One of the aims of the new program is to create a more inclusive and understanding environment.
Emotional support is believed to be crucial, with early assessment and intervention leading to the best outcomes. However, dyslexia is often not diagnosed until adulthood and there is also an overlap between dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder which can cause difficulties with focus and impulsivity.
Dyslexia is initially diagnosed by a neurologist or psychiatrist. (SPA)
Bahareth said people with dyslexia often encountered difficulties due to the impact on their reading, writing and overall learning capabilities. He spoke about the magnocellular theory of dyslexia, which says the condition is caused by an abnormality in the cells responsible for transmitting information between the eye and the brain.
Studies have shown these cells are smaller in those with dyslexia than in people who are neurotypical. This causes incorrect transmission and frequency of read information, resulting in messages from the eye being misinterpreted by the brain.
Magnetic resonance imaging studies by scientists at the University of Bonn in Germany have identified abnormal brain activity in individuals with dyslexia, particularly in left brain regions that process language and visual neural signals.
Those with dyslexia can also experience associated difficulties, including physical balance issues. Another common challenge is distortion in the perception of time, while spatial disorientation can be another associated symptom.
People with dyslexia might struggle to recognize directions and have difficulty finding locations with using a map, while others face mathematical and numerical challenges.
