Name: Kristyn Joy D.

Atangen Date: October 17, 2020

Group: BSN IV A-D Name of CI: Juliet V. Avena

I. TITLE: What is Developmental Dyslexia?

AUTHOR: John Stein
SOURCE: Brain Sci. 2018, 8(2), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci8020026
YEAR OF PUBLICATION: February 4, 2018

II. SUMMARY

Developmental dyslexia is traditionally defined as a discrepancy between reading ability and

intelligence in children receiving adequate reading tuition. Since the definition is entirely behavioral, it
leaves open the causes for reading failure. It is now well established that dyslexia is a neurological
disorder with a genetic origin, which is currently being investigated. The disorder has lifelong persistence,
reading retardation being merely one of its manifestations. Beyond this consensus, and despite decades of
intensive research, the underlying biological and cognitive causes of the reading retardation are still hotly
debated. Indeed, there are no less than three major theories of dyslexia. The goal of the present study is to
produce evidence to decide between these theories. As the conclusion of this Article says that, armed with
this definition, we should soon be able to test children specifically for these visual and auditory temporal
processing deficits. This will not only enable us to diagnose dyslexia earlier, but also to set in motion
remediation programs tailored to each child’s particular, individual, pattern of needs.

III. PERSONAL INSIGHTS

In this article the author proposes an interesting review, regarding a different point of view on
developmental dyslexia. The magnocellular theory is one of the most controversial theories concerning
developmental dyslexia, often criticized but among the few with specific neurophysiological basis. The
current study is a critical review and position paper advocating for the inadequacy of the Phonological
Deficit Hypothesis (PDH) and in favor of the Magnocellular Deficit Hypothesis (MDH) of Dyslexia. The
article is well-written, with a deliberate attempt to make difficult terms and concepts accessible for a
generalist audience. The introduction makes the point that the PDH is limited in that it makes Dyslexia
difficult to differentially diagnose from other reading problems. I think that this is true, but that this point
needs clarification and elaboration. The PDH is currently partnered with the Response to Intervention
paradigm, as championed by Fletcher. RTI is fundamentally a de-emphasis of etiology, and a de-
medicalizing of school-related problems, and as such I see it more as a political position than a scientific
one. What I would like to see a little more of is a discussion of the fact that the PDH has a basis in the
behavioral and neuroimaging literature, and as such is just an incomplete theory, not an inherently
problematic one. 

Under the sections on Yellow and Blue filters, the author refers to individual studies, performed by
himself. I would suggest that it would strengthen these sections to discuss meta-analyses or other reviews
of the evidence, as mentioning 1 or 2 studies in isolation does not convince the reader. Indeed the cited
studies are current and relevant, but more should be added. The findings of this study must be compared
to those of the Gori study. The later study is an fMRI study, with its own limitations, but indeed it also
cites several studies that find no behavioral evidence for m-cell deficit symptoms when controlling using
age matching.

IV. NURSING IMPLICATIONS

A. To Nursing Education
 We all know that Dyslexia still in the table of debating in terms of etiology though some
study says it is Hereditary like this Article. For the sake of students and others in medical
fields who are grasping knowledge about this issue This kind of article can be some of our
reference to gain more knowledge about dyslexia, Like this article we can at least improve
to see how we can figure out what is happening to this kind of cases. This will not only
enable us to diagnose dyslexia earlier, but also to set in motion remediation programs
tailored to each child’s particular, individual, pattern of needs.

B. To Nursing Profession
 This Article can be use as a guide for those who are in the medical fields. Many attempts of
how to figure out the said Dyslexia and until now they are still in the process. Despite its
general acceptance, the phonological theory of dyslexia can hardly be called explanatory.
What we need to find out is why children fail to gain phonological skills; what are the
pathophysiological mechanisms which cause this failure. A much more useful theory would
be one which properly explained why these problems arise, and hence enable us to define
precisely what developmental dyslexia is. This will be a big help for Nursing profession to
understand first what is Developmental Dyslexia. For us to at least give a try to figure out
whats in side the said learning Disorder

C. To Nursing Research

 Implication of this Article to Nursing research is that since in Nursing we need evidenced based
during research not only research but all the things that we do we need evidences, like articles
and journals. This kind of article about the “What is Developmental Dyslexia” the author
pointed out the Discrepancies I think that this is the core of the article, it is essential to
understand the underlying logic of the entire article (summarized in the phrase "the theory is set
at too high a cognitive level". I think the addition of a small part about the limits of the
phonological theory ("can hardly be called explanatory") should increase the interest for an
alternative explanation. Overall, the need for such a position paper in the literature is high, with
alternative explanations that add breadth to the understanding of reading problems. I
recommend that whenever possible, the author provide additional references in favor his points.
The article is "preaching to the choir" in terms of devotees to the MDT, but indeed is not likely
to sway the educators and pediatricians who are taken with the PDT already without some
additional evidence.
Checked and Received: (Signature of CI/Date)