DYSLEXIA IN CHILDREN: AN INTERVIEW WITH THRIVE

With Dyslexia Awareness Day taking place this month, we talked to Sonia Singhal, the Lead Assessment Specialist at Thrive Wellbeing Centre, about this learning difficulty that affects so many children.

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The start of the new school year is always nerve-wracking; everyone is adjusting to new schedules and getting back on their feet. While this can be exciting, it can also highlight the various difficulties kids may have when they are reading or writing. As children start new classes or new stages, parents and teachers might begin to notice a child struggling with academic skills. If these difficulties are significant and persistent and appear to be impacting a child’s ability to keep up with their classmates and their grades, it may be a sign of a learning difficulty. Dyslexia Awareness Day takes place in October and with this in mind, we spoke with Sonia Singhal, lead psychoeducational assessment expert at Thrive Wellbeing Centre, Dubai, to get a more thorough understanding of the difficulties that dyslexia presents.

What are your qualifications and experience in this area?

I am the Lead Assessment Specialist and a Counselling Psychologist at Thrive Wellbeing Centre, Dubai. I am a CDA Licensed Psychologist in Dubai and a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (California). I hold an M.Ed. in Psychology from Columbia University in New York and have 18 years of experience conducting psychoeducational assessments and assessments for children and adults. I also provide individual and family therapy and I hold a special interest in attachment theory and family systems. I am passionate about supporting children and adults in overcoming difficulties and improving their emotional well-being and relationships with others.

What is dyslexia and what causes it?