Katia Lenhart used to make up her own stories to the pictures in the books her mother tried to have her read. Or she would simply push those books away — unwilling and unable to read them.

“She was having a really hard time reading,” said her mom, Maricela Lenhart. “She was failing kindergarten and running the risk of having to repeat it. Her teacher recommended she get tested for dyslexia.”

Katia, 7, has dyslexia, a specific learning disability that is based in the brain and it is present at birth. It is neurobiological in origin and it is characterized by difficulties with accurate and fluent reading and poor spelling, said Alyssa Pukkila, an educational therapist who specializes in treating the learning disability.

“One in five children has dyslexia,” said Pukkila, who has a Master’s of Science degree in psychology with an emphasis on learning disabilities. “There are red flags for parents, but often they don’t see them or know what to look for. Also, these kids are often very bright, innovative, and they have a good vocabulary. They also can be very good at spatial awareness and they excel at things like puzzles, Legos, and Minecraft.”

Pukkila is offering free dyslexia screenings through Friday for kindergarteners who are going into 1st grade and 1st graders who are going into 2nd grade. She believes that early identification of those who are at high risk is essential in remediating the disorder — which is a lifetime disability.

“The neuroconnections in the brain are still forming and it’s much easier to remediate when the child is younger,” said Pukkila.  “We can help children who are in 3rd grade and older, but they come to us wounded. They feel like they are failures, have been told they are stupid, and they tell themselves they are horrible because they cannot keep up with their peers. Catching it early prevents a lot of damage to the child.”

Here are some common warning signs:

• a family history for reading struggles (parents, aunts and uncles, and grandparents)

• not making the benchmarks for reading (kindergarten through the third grade)

• not being able to rhyme or not interested in rhyming

• mispronunciation of some familiar words (For example, pistachio sounds like stipachio)

• not being able to learn the letters or sounds of the alphabet

• difficulties in pronunciation

• delayed speech

• struggling to split words into smaller sound components

• difficulties in coming up with words s/he wants to use (saying "um, um, um…" or "you know…"

Lenhart knows Pukkila’s methods work. “I am so glad I had Katia tested and I am so grateful. My daughter would not be where she is without Alyssa’s intervention.”

She said her daughter has made huge strides since beginning intense therapy last summer. Instead of being held back in kindergarten, she has blossomed in first grade. Her reading level has gone from 10 words a minute to 53 words per minute.

“She has come a long way from a year ago,” said Lenhart, fighting back tears. “She didn’t like to read. Now, she’s reading chapter books. Alyssa really changes the child’s life. I can see the difference in my daughter’s self-esteem and confidence.”

What: Free dyslexia screenings to identify children who are at risk for the reading disorder.

Who: Kindergarteners who are going into 1st grade and 1st graders who are going into 2nd grade.

When:  From now until Friday, June 10th.  All screenings are done one-on-one with a dyslexia expert and trained therapist.  

Where: Wired2Learn at 1810 E. Schneidmiller Ave., Suite #140 in  Post Falls.

How: Please call (208) 699-6232 or email apukkila@wired2learn.org to set up a time for the screening.

Famous people with dyslexia

• George Church, Harvard Genetics Professor

• Catherine Drennan, MIT Superstar Professor & HHMI Scientist

• Mark Ruffalo, actor

• Vincente Wolf, HGTV Designer and Architect

• Gwen Stefani, singer

• Mark Hall, singer & songwriter

• Philip Schultz, Pulitzer-Prize winning poet

• Dr. Wally Broecker, Geochemist and father of global warming

• Jennifer Aniston, actor

• Kobe Bryant, NBA basketball player

• Whoopi Goldberg, actor

• Chuck Close, artist

• Lindsey Stirling, musician, composer, songwriter

• Fabien Cousteau, ocean explorer

--Written by Marc Stewart, Director of Sponsored Content.

If you’re interested in learning more about sponsored content, contact Kari Packer,  Sales Manager at the Coeur d’Alene Press. She can be reached at (208) 664-0215 or at kpacker@cdapress.com