10 Things Parents of Dyslexic Kids Need To Know

If you or your child doesn’t have dyslexia, the odds are that you know someone who does. According to the National Health Service , it is estimated that “up to one in every ten people in the UK has some degree of dyslexia.”

One: It may not be what you think

“Unlike a learning disability,” says the National Health Service, “intelligence isn’t affected.” So your child may find it more difficult to take in information, especially in written form, but the condition does not impact their brain development. By working with understanding teachers and using different teaching methods, the child can excel in school

Two: It is a learning difficulty

As a learning difficulty, dyslexia renders it more of a job to take in and retain information that is written. It impacts reading, writing, and often spelling.

Three: Dyslexic children often see letters the wrong way around

With a fair amount of frequency, dyslexic learners see things in a mirror; when they look at the letters they’re trying to read, they often flip back to front, such as lowercase d’s becoming b’s and vice versa. Some dyslexic children even find it much easier to read if they put the material in front of a mirror.

Four: Dyslexic children may have trouble following instructions

Depending on the age of your child, following involved or detailed instructions can be difficult even without dyslexia, simply because they haven’t quite developed their attention span. But for a dyslexic child, it’s even harder to pay attention and follow a complex sequence. Stick to one to three steps at a time to assist your child with retaining the order of tasks to be completed.

Five: Visual teaching methods can make a huge difference

Visual learners are more prevalent these days, and the use of objects and images in teaching, or custom designs for dyslexic kids as well as hands-on kinetic methods, can cut through the difficulties caused by dyslexia and allow the kids learn at a pace and in a way that works for her.

Six: Dyslexia isn’t caused by hearing or vision problems

Causes of dyslexia vary, but most research is focused on looking at hereditary factors. Dyslexia is not due to hearing, vision, or developmental problems.

Seven: There is such a thing as auditory dyslexia

Auditory Processing Disorder is referred to as “dyslexia of the ears,” and is sometimes found in conjunction with dyslexia. It renders it difficult for the child to differentiate between sounds within words, making it very hard to process speech and separate it from other noises.

Eight: Dyslexic children are often creative thinkers and problem solvers

Though it may be considerably harder for a dyslexic child to take in the written information, the learning difficulty may also impel them to find new and creative ways to find solutions to problems. Dyslexic children often are known to be “out of the box” thinkers, and there are several well-known creative minds with successful careers who speak about dealing with dyslexia when they were children.

Nine: Sometimes — but not always — it ends in childhood

As a child gets older and reading and writing habits become more practiced and deeply ingrained, there is a chance that the symptoms of dyslexia may fade. This isn’t to say that if you ignore it, it might just disappear on its own; specific training and teaching are definitely necessary. But with that training and effective teaching methods, the symptoms can be mitigated and the difficulty may eventually disappear.

But that isn’t always the case. Some adults who struggled with dyslexia as children still find that reading and writing are difficult for them in later years as well. The same methods used with children may continue to help, however.

Ten: There is help available

Dyslexia can certainly make a number of tasks more difficult, and it can last far past childhood, but as the National Health Service notes, “support is available to improve reading and writing skills and help those with the problem be successful at school and work.” As it is such a growing problem, more and more teachers are being educated on how to work with dyslexic students.