In this era of internet advertising, choosing an appropriate therapy or treatment program for dyslexia can be a daunting task for parents, and educators.   In order to avoid wasting valuable time and money, it is important to research various options carefully.

In the latest issue of  Perspectives on Language and Literacy, Winter 2011, Vol. 37, No. 1,  published by the International Dyslexia Association, Bruce F. Pennington, Ph.D, the John Evans Professor of Psychology at the University of Denver, writes ”that anyone considering a new therapy for a child in their care should compare the claims made about that therapy with the objective evaluations of that therapy on the following websites that review therapies for neurodevelopmental disorders:

What Works Clearninghouse (www.whatworks.ed.gov)

The Cochrane Collaboration (www.cochrane.org)

TRIP Database for Evidence Based Medicine (www.tripdatabase.com)

Quackwatch (www.quackwatch.com)

If the therapy has not been evaluated, that in itself, is a bad sign.  Treatments with efficacy based solely on clinical observations, uncontrolled studies, or anecdotes are not empirically validated. ”