Author who has dyslexic boy suggests reading tips for parents

By Staff Writer

The author of a popular children's book series has compiled a list of tips for parents that may help children overcome their learning disabilities.

Rick Riordan, the writer behind the Percy Jackson series, has a son with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and dyslexia. The novelist recently wrote a blog for The Wall Street Journal and shared the methods he had used to help his child read and write.

He suggests that parents designate time for 'family reading' each night to show the important role that books play during a daily routine. Riordan says it is crucial to match children with the right type of books. Allowing kids to pick their selections will make the activity more fun, as opposed to a hassle they may treat like a chore.

While visual distractions like a TV or computer may hinder the experience, he says that the child may benefit from small items in their possession.

"Many ADHD kids can focus better if they can have something to fiddle with like a stress ball, an eraser, or some other small object that absorbs their kinesthetic energy," Riordan wrote in the blog.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, diagnosis of ADHD has increased an average of 3 percent per year in a nine-year span.