Dyslexia is a condition that makes it hard to read and learn. It happens when there is a problem with the way the brain processes graphic symbols. But one should remember that people with severe dyslexia can be brilliant. We talk about dyslexia on World Dyslexia Awareness Week
Says Huafrid Billimoria, a student of TISS, Mumbai, “Dyslexia is just another label which has pushed me to excel. Fortunately or unfortunately I have various disorders which are incurable. There is no coming out of Dyslexia as it’s something which stays with you for your entire life
You cannot just snap out of it. As a child Billimoria parents took him to multiple practicing professionals, digging information from them, to provide a better childhood. Say Billimoria, “They were never in denial and that is what helped me to move towards acceptance. They supported me in any and every way possible. I give them full credit for never giving up on me.”
Dyslexia, literally "difficulty with words”. It is a specific learning disability which affects a person's ability to read, spell and understand language that he/she hears, or express herself/himself clearly while speaking or in writing.
Typically, children with dyslexia will experience difficulty coping with school work in spite of their best efforts. Kate Currawalla, Founder President of Maharashtra Dyslexia Association, “Dyslexia has nothing to do with intelligence; in fact, people with dyslexia have average or even above average intelligence. It is often accompanied by strengths in areas such as creative work, physical co-ordination and empathy with other people.”
What are the signals for parents to understand?
General Warning Signs
• Short attention span: not able to pay attention long enough to finish an activity.
• Restless or hyperactive: moves around constantly; fidgety; doesn't seem to move with a purpose in mind; picks on other children.
• Careless, unorganized approach to activities: does not finish what is started; does not seem to plan to get work done.
• Listening difficulties; does not seem to understand: has trouble following directions; turns away while others are talking; does not seem interested.
• Avoids participation with other children or hurts others: stays away from other children; always plays alone; does not participate in group activities; bites, hits, or bullies.
• Resistant to discipline (defiant, destructive, or negative): does not accept directions or training; disagreeable; hard to manage; destroys materials or toys deliberately; temper tantrums.
Says Currawalla, “Early signs that parents can look out for are that these kids speaks later than most children and they have pronunciation problems. The other signs are low vocabulary growth, often unable to find the right word, trouble learning numbers, alphabet, days of the week, colours, shapes and they also lack fine motor skills.”
Parent’s reaction and sometimes denial
It is natural for parents to be shocked, bewildered, overwhelmed, even angry, when they are told that their child has a problem. Many of them may have missed the early signs, or taken them to be a natural part of development. Often, a child who is obviously intelligent and talkative is labelled as “lazy”, “not applying himself” or “too playful and distracted” by parents and teachers. “Frequently, one parent is more cognisant and accepting of the child’s difficulties while the partner may be struggling to comprehend the condition and that may cause friction between the parents. It is important for parents to equip themselves with all the information they need to come to grips with their child’s difficulties and seek out the right kind of guidance and support,” adds Currawalla.
Parents need time to absorb the implications of their child’s difficulties, and reshape their hopes and aspirations for their child. Often, they may go through a period of grief, even depression, as they struggle to deal with the many facets of dyslexia. This could be exacerbated by the pressure they may face from teachers. Students with dyslexia respond well to a multisensory structured language instruction, which systematically addresses their issues with the written word.
