Effects of treatment of reading skills in a child with borderline intellectual functioning

Background: People with borderline intellectual functioning (BIF) show difficulties in academic achievements. They often struggle to read fluently and display poor reading comprehension. However, they usually are not properly diagnosed with specific reading deficits and, consequently, no treatment program is prescribed. Thus, reading remediation for subjects with BIF remains largely unexplored. This work investigated the effectiveness of an intervention aimed at improving reading in a child with BIF. Methods: A computer reading program based on the dualroute model was used for a period of 3 months with the aim of automatizing word recognition and assembling of sub-lexical units (phonemes). Reading performance was measured before and after treatment. Results: The reliable change index of reading skills during pre-post treatment and at follow-up showed significant improvements in text, word, and nonword reading accuracy, rather than in reading speed. Discussion: Findings are discussed in terms of specific characteristics of the treatment and benefits that can be obtained in children with BIF.