Dyslexia

I've learned a lot about Dyslexia this summer. I've learned what it is, and what it isn't. And I learned Clayton has a form of dyslexia. (He was professionally tested in May.) Wow. This has been a real game changer for us. It explains so many things that I attributed to laziness, being a boy, and being left-handed. As we have begun the remediation process this fall, and I see the progress he is making, I wonder how many other parents are in the same boat. So let me share a little of what I've learned about dyslexia and maybe something will click with you, too.

1. Dyslexia has very little, if anything, to do with turning letters around.
Surprised? I was. One of the reasons I never considered the possibility of dyslexia is because I thought that's all dyslexia was--turning letters around, making it harder to read words. Letter reversal can be a symptom of dyslexia, although not all dyslexics reverse letters.

2.  Dyslexia is not an intelligence problem, laziness problem, or a vision problem.
Dyslexics tend to be quite intelligent and hard working. They've actually had to figure out how to read and spell using unusual techniques they've figure out on their own, because traditional techniques didn't work for them. But those techniques can only compensate so much. And a person doesn't just "get over" dyslexia by trying harder.

3. Dyslexia is ultimately caused because a dyslexic's brain works differently than a non-dyslexics. The way we typically teach reading uses a specific area in the left side of the brain. If a person's connections to that part of the brain are weak, that person will struggle with the process of seeing letters, making them into sounds, and blending them together to form a word. That is dyslexia. Once a word is memorized, however, that information is stored in a different part of the brain. Dyslexics many times can read a word, not because of the sounds associated with it, but simply because they have memorized it. Imagine learning to read without learning phonics. That's what it is like for a dyslexic.

4. There is no "cure" for dyslexia, but there is help.
Because dyslexia's cause is a differently-wired-brain, and the way their brain processes information, dyslexia is a life-long condition. But you can create new connections to that part of the brain and compensate with other parts of the brain. However, new connections and compensation are never as fast or accurate. For example, if you have to take a detour on a road trip, you will still reach your destination, it may just take longer. Same way for dyslexics. Information can be taught to travel down different paths, but those paths are longer. This is also why professionally-diagnosed dyslexics are often given more time on standardized tests.

5. Dyslexia is more common than you think. Some studies say up to 20% of the population all over the world has some degree of dyslexia. That's 1 in every 5 children. Additionally, dyslexia is hereditary. It is not uncommon for a dyslexic to have an immediate family member who is also dyslexic, or siblings who are dyslexic.

6. Dyslexia and the public school system.
Most of you know we homeschool. Therefore I have no experience with my dyslexic child being in the public school system. However, I feel compelled to share what I have learned in the course of my research just in case it applies to you: Your school may be ill-equipped to diagnose and remediate dyslexia. Research indicates most public schools typically don't have specialized training to diagnose dyslexia, and don't have the staff, resources, or time available to work with dyslexics to help them learn to read in a way that makes sense to them. I respect public schools more than you know. I think their job is insanely hard with little to no true and solid support. But, if your child is struggling and you think your school would surely identify dyslexia if that were the cause of their struggles, you might be wrong.  If your child is in remedial reading and you think they know just how to help your child, you might be wrong. Might. Do your own research and decide for yourself.

There are hundreds of websites and books devoted to the subject of dyslexia. If your child struggles with reading, reading comprehension, spelling, punctuation, and/or capitalization, do some research and read through the indicators. I'm sure not every child who struggles has dyslexia, but I'm also sure there are lots of children with some degree of dyslexia who will continue to struggle until someone stops and says, "Hey, maybe..."


Related Links:
37 Common Traits of Dyslexia
Understanding Dyslexia (from Understood.com)
Understanding Dyslexia (from KidsHealth.org)