Complementary and Alternative Approaches to Therapeutic Dyslexia Intervention

A. Geredakis, M. Vergou, V. Zakopoulou

Although the prevalence of developmental dyslexia, according to DSM-V, varies from 10 to 15%, a major issue tormenting scientists to date is the lack of consensus on how dyslexia should be diagnosed or treated. Apart from the classical methods used in remedial teaching, popular methods for dyslexia treatment are the alternative and complementary approaches that include perceptual-motor training, visual interventions, auditory interventions, biofeedback and fatty acid interventions, many of which having already emerged in the 1980s. Each of the aforementioned forms of therapy has its supporters, in spite of the fact that there is still little evidence for their effectiveness. In the wider context of a multifactorial approach to the complex construction of dyslexia, this review aims to outline the main objectives, the implementation procedures and the extent to which alternative approaches contribute to dyslexia treatment. In brief, a review of the current literature leads to the conclusion that even though most of these methods have yet to be proven for their effectiveness, they should not be considered as having no therapeutic value. Nonetheless, until their efficacy has been proved, it is suggested that the most effective interventions in reading are those involving the combination of cognitive and behavioral intervention.