“It’s [dyslexia] a gift and don’t let anyone tell you that because you struggle with dyslexia, you’ll never make it in life because it’s simply not true.” ~ Orlando Bloom

Dyslexia is a neurological condition in people with normal or above-average intelligence that affects the way they think and learn. It does not occur because of neurological damage but is the result of non-typical neurological development.

There are specific areas of the brain that deal with reading and oral language. These areas need to work together but often do not in the dyslexic brain.

It is prevalent in 15-20% of the US population and is the most common learning different-ability.

This learning identity can make it difficult to read, write, and spell words as well as do math calculations and word problems without help from others.

It is not a disease; therefore, it does not go away with time. Instead, it fluctuates in severity depending on how much a dyslexic individual improves in foundational skills for learning and has been exposed to literacy skills.

It manifests from mild to severe in intensity.

Some dyslexics may always struggle with reading. However, dyslexia does not mean that an individual will be unable to read or spell words correctly for the rest of their lives.

With proper education and guidance from parents and teachers on how they learn best, dyslexics can develop strategies that allow them to improve their ability to succeed academically.

Dyslexia needs to be identified early so children have a chance of succeeding in school and life, despite dyslexia’s challenges.

If your child is a preschooler and demonstrates the following, get him tested for dyslexia:

• Mispronounces or transposes words, e.g., shoe horse for horseshoe.
• Has a hard time learning nursery rhymes or song lyrics that rhyme.
• Struggles to name familiar objects; instead uses general words like thing and stuff.
• Has trouble remembering sequences, e.g., singing the letters of the alphabet.
• Tells stories that are hard to follow.
• Has trouble talking about an event in logical sequence.
• Has difficulty following directions with more than one step.

Dyslexia is not a myth… it is real.

It is common… it is the most prevalent characteristic of children who are placed in special education classes.

It is lifelong… there is no cure but with the right support and instruction, children with dyslexia can become exceptional, creative, and successful people.

If you want to put your children on the path to learning success in school and life, get them tested as soon as you see a combination of the difficulties noted above.