Dyslexia has been little understood or noted for most of recorded history. Almost all that we have learned about dyslexia has been in the last 25 years.
Dyslexics learn differently. Their eyes see the same but their brains interpret the signals from the eyes differently than those of non-dyslexics. It’s O.K., many famous people have been dyslexic. But to reach full potential they need to be taught differently, according to their needs.
In the last 15 years elementary school procedure has been to routinely screen for dyslexia in children. Practically all children who had problems with reading were selected to go through a full-scale professional dyslexia test and evaluation.
Those who went through grade school more than 15 years ago almost all bear the scars of being hammered into molds that did not fit. They were ridiculed for their differences, looked at as retarded (which most are definitely not!), slow learners, etc. They were embarrassed and learn to hide their differences.
Millions of adult dyslexics today have never taken a dyslexia test. They still struggle with learning and reading difficulties that could be easily overcome if they were only known. A half-hour dyslexia test could make enormous improvements in their self-esteem and abilities.
One of the problems in helping dyslexics is that there are many different types of dyslexia. Dyslexia takes many different forms; all dyslexics are different. They cannot be readily sorted into categories and then treated the same as a group.
For adult dyslexics (part of the 2+ million) out there a dyslexic test could open up a whole new world of how to easily do things they had never been able to do before. Many adult dyslexics are identified when one of their children tests positive for dyslexia in school. Since dyslexia runs in families, parents of newly-identified dyslexics are often encouraged to be tested. Doing so has opened up new possibilities, new abilities, new careers for many.
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Disclaimer: This posting is based on information freely available in the popular press and medical journals that deal with dyslexia. Nothing herein is intended to be or should be construed to be medical advice. For medical advice the reader should consult with his or her physician or other medical specialist.
By Emanuel Sandusky
