What can be done?

Understanding the problem is the key to achieving any solution. Now that we have gained some insight into the matter, let us read about what can be done to facilitate the intellectual growth of dyslexic children:

1. 1. Early identification: As soon as some of the aforementioned symptoms are seen, don’t take it easy. Many parents fall into the “we’ll see later” trap, and by the time the diagnosis is made, it’s too late. Some things are not corrected by time and age. A certified educational psychologist should thoroughly evaluate the child at this stage. The main advantage of early identification of dyslexia is that we can aid the child’s self esteem. Going to a school where not writing and reading in the conventional manner will definitely attract punishment, it is simply not in the child’s best interest to be sent to such a school in the first place. This is why early identification is necessary. Alternative educational arrangements can be made.

1. 2. Acceptance: Now, when dyslexia is confirmed, do not panic. It is not a life threatening disease. It is a learning disability, which can be overcome with patience and suitable learning techniques. Read and try to know as much about it as possible.  The fact is in our country people have very less idea about the subject. So what if they are working in the Dyslexia industry? India still has a long way to go before people understand and come out in the open and discuss issues like dyslexia and other learning difficulties. Remember, these are just small kids, who have learnt intrinsically that they will never be able to match their friends’ standards. Children are very sensitive and astute, and any stray remark about their learning difficulty will only make them retreat further into their shell. Learn to accept them the way they are. You don’t have to “fix” them, nor treat them any different from your other kids. The right attitude matters the most in handling such issues. Do not consider them as dumb or stupid. Allow them to find their own path and see them flourish. Then they will not be further ignored or crushed. They will get equal opportunities to grow. 

   Right Information => Right attitude => Right behavior => Create

   acceptance

1.  3. Take Expert Opinion: There are a lot of specialists who routinely work with such cases and who should be contacted immediately at different stages, like - child development specialist, paediatrician, neuro-paediatrician, child psychologist, special educator, occupation therapist, remedial educator etc. They are professionally qualified people who can guide your child and facilitate his/her learning needs. A normal paediatrician might not be of much help, but he/she can certainly recommend/refer the child to a specialist.

1. 4. Tell the child we are with you: This is the most important thing of all. We have no idea since how long the child has been struggling with this problem all alone.  Without knowing What, Why and why only he/she is suffering etc. He already knows something is different about him. Reassure the child with a big, warm hug that tells him that he is not alone now. Your unconditional love and support is all that the child needs. 

"Stupid or dumb"?!

Myths Surrounding Dyslexia

‘People with dyslexia are stupid or dumb.’ No. In fact, mounting evidence shows that many people with dyslexia are highly creative, out of the box thinkers and extremely intelligent. That helps explain the long list of entrepreneurs, inventors, scientists, actors, doctors and lawyers who have excelled despite, or perhaps because of, their affliction. Neuro-imaging studies demonstrate that the dyslexic brain really does things differently. The second, very peculiar myth about dyslexics is that they have vision problems. That is also untrue.

People with dyslexia

We have a long list of successful people who were afflicted, or rather, blessed with dyslexia, who went on to become famous in their own right. People like Archer Mortin, Tom Cruise, Pierre Curie, Michael Faraday, Albert Einstein, Muhammad Ali, Leonardo da Vinci, Alexander Graham Bell, Henry Ford, William Hewlett etc. This list can go on and on, and one of these leaders has said, "I frankly think dyslexia is a gift. If you are supported in school and your ego remains intact, then you emerge with a strong work ethic and a different view of the world." Truer words were never spoken.

I was trying to look for people from India who have embraced their dyslexia and achieved success. There are 1.27 billion people living in this country (according to the latest census report) and I still couldn’t manage to meet a single person with dyslexia. What a crying shame! As per official records, more children are attending school now, as compared to the last decade. In a developing country like India, what exactly are we developing? Around 17% of school children today suffer from one or the other learning disability, and out of those, 3-6% are dyslexic. Where are these children?  Or, do we really not have any dyslexic in this country or they have been killed/crushed? How are they handling this conservative society? There is a big WHERE and How in this question which needs to be answered. 

Brain wiring

What is dyslexia? The word is based on two Greek words-“dys” meaning difficulty, and “lexic” meaning anything to do with words.

According to the World Federation of Neurology, “Dyslexia is a disorder manifested by difficulties in learning to read, despite conventional instruction, adequate intelligence and socio-cultural opportunities.”

It has been found that 20% of school-going children have several difficulties in learning to read and write, out of which 14% to 17% have a learning disability (LD). But 3% to 6% are dyslexic. It is a fairly rare disorder. It is a neurological condition and there is no known cause or cure for dyslexia till now. 

Dyslexia is a specific reading disability due to a defect in the brain's processing. The brain has two important areas-the cerebrum and the cerebellum. The cerebrum receives and processes stimuli from the outer environment with the help of sensory organs, and the cerebellum takes care of body control and movements and makes it possible to connect the body’s responses effectively with the outside environment. When this connection is delayed, or when the neural pathways are incomplete, it creates a condition known as “cerebellar delay”, which causes dyslexia.