I have heard several stories recently of parents freaking out when their children have discovered they are dyslexic. Most people say ‘get a grip’ and think that the parents are over reacting. But, as Dyslexia is inherited it highlights that one of the parents has to be Dyslexic. Until recently [last 10 years] dyslexia was not understood and people who experienced difficulties due to their dyslexia were classed as slow, stupid, disabled and often bullied due to these difficulties. When parents discover their child’s dyslexia it often has them relive their painful youth, one they have buried well in their past. Another reason for the parents ‘reactions’ is a lack of knowledge of what dyslexia is.
There are areas that Dyslexics have difficulty with [reading, spelling, short term memory to mention a few] but excel in so many other areas [thinking multi-dimensionally, the ability to visualize thought as a virtual reality, multi perspective, creative thinking and heightened sensory awareness to mention a few]. It is important in my opinion as we live in a academic society for dyslexics to develop their reading and writing skills, and to develop strategies for their difficulties so that they can function successfully in today’s society. Just as important, I think dyslexics need to celebrate their strengths. If we look at famous dyslexics [Einstein, Churchill, Disney, De Vinci, Edison, Ford, Picasso] we see that dyslexics are very talented and successful. Dyslexia is not a disability but is a gift. This is why I disagree with the phrase ‘diagnosed as dyslexia’ I prefer ‘discovered to be dyslexic’.
Read more about Dyslexia at this British site The Dyslexia Institute, a great informational site.
Tags: Learning
