Exploring Dyslexia Risk Through Psycholinguistic and Orofacial Correlates: Neurodevelopmental Insights Toward a
Ștefan Lucian Burlea1, Laura Elisabeta Checheriţă2, Ovidiu Stamatin1
13rd Dental Medicine Department, Faculty of Dental Medicine, "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania.
Journal of Personalized Medicine
|August 27, 2025
Summary
Early dyslexia and dysgraphia risk in children may be linked to tongue dysfunction and emotional dysregulation. Integrating orofacial and emotional assessments can improve early identification and intervention.
Area of Science:
- Neurodevelopmental disorders
- Child psychology
- Speech-language pathology
Background:
- Dyslexia and dysgraphia are common neurodevelopmental disorders impacting reading and writing skills.
- Emerging research suggests potential links to orofacial dysfunction and emotional regulation issues.
- Early identification and intervention are crucial for children at risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine associations between stomatognathic anomalies, emotional dysregulation, and early indicators of dyslexia-dysgraphia risk in preschool children.
- To strengthen early screening and intervention strategies for these conditions.
- To explore the role of orofacial and emotional factors in dyslexia-dysgraphia risk.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional case-control study of 689 Romanian children aged 5-7.
- Screening using the ACTIV-BURLEA battery for language, motor, and cognitive abilities.
- Clinical assessments of orofacial function (tongue, lip, occlusion) and emotional regulation.
Main Results:
- 74.19% of at-risk children received confirmed dyslexia-dysgraphia diagnoses at follow-up.
- Tongue dysfunction (TD) and emotional dysregulation (ED) showed potential as risk indicators.
- TD correlated with school avoidance; occlusal anomalies (OAs) correlated with emotional distress.
Conclusions:
- Early dyslexia-dysgraphia risk appears to involve orofacial and emotional components.
- Tongue dysfunction, occlusal disturbances, and emotional dysregulation may serve as important clinical markers.
- Integrating dental and emotional assessments into preschool screening can enhance early identification and personalized interventions.
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