| As busy parents, especially with a special needs child, | | | | naming familiar objects. |
| time for reading often gets lost during the day. It is | | | | 75% of apraxic children also have dyslexia. Many of |
| so important to begin reading to your child at a | | | | the therapies used to treat apraxia, such as sound |
| young age. Leading experts recommend at least 20 | | | | therapy and fish oil supplements have a positive |
| minutes a day. We read to our daughter 40 minutes | | | | affect on dyslexia. During kindergarten we worked |
| a day. I read to her before nap time and my husband | | | | with our daughter at home in addition to school to |
| read to her before bed. Reading to our children has | | | | teach her to read. She was still struggling with |
| been a rewarding experience to both us and them. It | | | | pronouncing some of the letter sounds and had an |
| has instilled a real love for books in them. | | | | initial problem with letter reversals. It only took |
| Reading improves vocabulary, memory skills and | | | | twenty minutes a day for about six months to teach |
| speech skills. Using books with rhyming text has been | | | | her to read, and now she is reading above her grade |
| useful. Simple activities to encourage speech can be | | | | level. Which seems like a small commitment for a life |
| done at that time, such as reading "the cat in the | | | | time skill. It was such a rewarding experience |
| ___" and having your child say "hat". Sturdy board | | | | teaching her. It may sound like an overwhelming task, |
| books with pictures to identify helps your child learn | | | | but with good instructions and the programs they |
| new vocabulary words and to consistently practice | | | | have today it is manageable. |