Mother Providing A Voice For Parents

Of Children With Reading Disabilities

By John Voket

Suzanne Lang remembers her son beginning kindergarten full of questions, eager to learn and bursting with self-confidence.

“So why by third grade had he become frustrated and anxious? Why was homework such a huge chore? Because he was struggling with basic skills that many of us take for granted, reading and writing,” the Newtown mother has since determined.

As a parent, Ms Lang knows firsthand that it can be very difficult to watch as a child puts up walls and loses self-esteem because of a reading or learning disability.

“Reading and writing are essential skills in our society. Reading a newspaper, writing an email, reading signs on the highway, making a grocery list,” she observed. “Can a person become a successful adult without these skills? Probably not.”

So how can parents help their children learn to the best of their ability?

If these question seems familiar; or if anyone knows or has a child with a reading or learning disability, Ms Lang is offering peer advice and a means of assisting all Newtown and area parents.

The first gathering of a support group she is organizing for parents of children with reading disabilities is set for Thursday, April 2, at 7 pm, in the Meeting Room of the C.H. Booth Library.

“The group’s mission is to provide support, resources, and information to parents and/or caregivers,” Ms Lang said.

The first meeting will include introductions, clips from an informative video, and an informal discussion. Handouts with information regarding resources and pertinent articles will also be available.

She plans to set out specific topics, speakers, and informed group discussions during future meetings.

“Reading disabilities don’t have to be disabling or embarrassing,” Ms Lang said. “Do you know that 15 to 20 percent of people in our society have reading disabilities? If recognized and remediated by first grade, 90 percent of all children with reading disabilities can learn to read as well as their peers.”

Citing other statistics, Ms Lang said most people with reading disabilities are of average to above average intelligence.

“And 90 percent of prison inmates in the United States can’t read past the fifth grade,” she added.

According to Ms Lang, every successful adult with a reading disability had one thing in common, an advocate.

“Participants can learn how to be their child’s best advocate,” she said. “Parents play a pivotal role in how a child perceives themselves.”

Ms Lang believes with the help of their peers, parents and caregivers will be equipped to give their children the proper support, and help them to achieve in areas that they never thought possible.

“This could change your child’s life for the better,” she said. “By helping your child to understand that they learn differently, you can save them from frustration, humiliation, and failure.”

For more information, interested parents are invited to drop in to the group meeting, or to contact Ms Lang via email at suzinart19@sbcglobal.net.