Learning disabilities

Dyslexia-dysorthographia affects 5 to 10% of school-aged children. This neurodevelopmental disorder (abnormalities in brain development) is more common in boys than in girls. Dyslexia-dysorthographia is most often seen in the first cycle of primary school where learning written language (reading and spelling) is much more difficult for these children. Thus, reading is slow and laborious, with many errors made and comprehension of texts is often affected. In writing, words are misspelled and many grammatical errors persist. These children therefore experience academic difficulties that are often not exclusive to French, as written language is required in other subjects (math, science, ethics and culture, etc.). In addition, approximately 60% of these children have an associated disorder (cognitive: language disorder, coordination acquisition disorder, attention deficit, dyscalculia / psychoaffective: oppositional disorder, anxiety-depression disorders), which can complicate the management of their problems. These children are also more at risk for secondary problems (low self-esteem, school dropout, behavioral problems), especially if no measures/interventions are put in place to help them. Dyslexia-dysorthographia is a disorder for which speech therapy or remedial education is beneficial and many adaptive measures can be allowed in the classroom to allow the child to succeed to his/her potential.