He may be having problems with his vision. I would highly suggest she checks into doing some therapuetic eye exercises with him. Did wonders for my struggling learners. She could check out this website for more info:
www.visual-edge.orgMartha and Mary L. referred me a book called "Seeing is Achieving" and it contains many helpful exercises that may possibly help your friend. I can't remember, but I believe the book is only $15-20.
I would encourage her not to wait too long in getting help, as we made that mistake with one of my children, and it was VERY difficult to get a teenager to do eye exercises. Now that she's living on her own, she is working very hard to overcome her reading issues and just recently started reading the 6 volumes of the Chronicles of Narnia all on her own. " )