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Boys at Greater Risk for Reading Problems Than
Girls
Learning disabilities - such as reading disabilities - are problems that
affect the brain's ability to receive, process, analyze, or store information.
These problems can make it difficult for a student to learn as quickly as
someone who isn't affected by learning disabilities. In the last 30 years,
there's been controversy over medical studies that found that boys are much more
likely to have reading disabilities than girls. First, scientists discovered a
much higher prevalence of reading disability in boys. About 15 years later,
however, other studies found that the sex differences in reading disabilities
weren't as disparate after all. Now researchers from the United Kingdom and New
Zealand have reviewed recent studies to examine whether there really is a higher
rate of reading disability in boys.
New evidence from four large studies was examined. The studies included:
- the Dunedin Study, which studied 989 children and assessed reading
performance and intelligence
- the Christchurch Study, which included 895 children and also assessed
reading performance and intelligence
- the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Study, which evaluated the
reading skills of 5,752 children
- the Environmental Risk Twin Study, which included 2,163 children (all of
whom were twins) and evaluated word reading efficiency and intelligence
In all four studies, the rates of reading disability were significantly
higher in boys.
- In the Dunedin Study, almost 22% of boys had reading disabilities,
compared to only about 8% of girls.
- In the Christchurch Study, nearly 21% of boys had reading disabilities,
compared to about 10% in girls.
- In the ONS Study, about 18% of boys had reading disabilities, compared to
only 13% of girls.
- In the Environmental Risk Study, 18% of boys had reading disabilities,
compared to only 13% of girls.
What This Means to You: The results of this analysis indicate that
boys are more likely to experience reading disabilities than girls. Because many
people with learning disabilities struggle for a long time before someone
realizes there's a problem, the best thing you can do for your child is to get
him or her help if you suspect he or she is struggling with reading. Talk to
your child's doctor for information about diagnosing reading disabilities and
discuss strategies for dealing with reading disabilities in the classroom with
your child's teacher.
Source: Michael Rutter, MD; Avshalom Caspi, PhD; David Fergusson, PhD; L.
John Horwood, MSc; Robert Goodma, MD; Barbara Maughan, PhD; Terrie E. Moffitt,
PhD; Howard Meltzer, PhD; Julia Carroll, PhD; Journal of the American Medical
Association, April 28, 2004
Reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD
Date
reviewed: June 2004