This is the start of an awareness series, with multiple households in Pakistan having little to no education about certain disabilities and mental illnesses. A dummy’s guide to XYZ aims to fulfill those gaps and educate the public. Today, we shall be covering dyslexia.
Dyslexia is a learning difficulty or a learning disorder that causes difficulties in reading and writing. It involves problems identifying speech sounds and the ability to learn how they relate to letters and words.
Dyslexia basically affects how the brain processes graphic symbols and sounds of words. While dyslexia is termed as a neurological condition, it does not affect an individual’s intelligence. Experts believe almost every other 5-10% of people suffer from dyslexia.
Although the effects of dyslexia vary from person to person, people with the condition usually have trouble reading and understanding what they read.
Symptoms of Dyslexia
Dyslexia is most common amongst children; however, people can show symptoms at any age. The symptoms involve:
- Late reaching and development milestones: children with dyslexia are usually late bloomers.
- Learning to speak late: children usually find it difficult to pronounce words, differentiate between word sounds, find rhyming challenging, etc.
- Difficulty in reading: like speaking, a child may find it hard to read, match letters to sounds, and have trouble recognizing the sounds in words.
- Dyslexia causes trouble with complex skills: hard to learn grammar, comprehension, reading fluency, sentence structures, in-depth writing.
- Problems with writing: dyslexic patients may have issues with writing, they may jumble up words or numbers, and have problems with spelling.
- Inability to process sounds: as mentioned, children with dyslexia usually have difficulty in processing sounds.
- Inability to learn sets of data: it is difficult for them to learn data in sets or order such as the alphabet, numbers, multiplication tables, etc.
- Coordination problems: moreover, being able to coordinate is also a tough task. Their differentiation between left and right may not be the strongest.
- Concentration: mentioned in the series’ debut article as well, dyslexic individuals usually find it difficult to concentrate on tasks. It is said that most children that experience dyslexia also go through ADHD.
- Autoimmune conditions: individuals with dyslexia tend to develop multiple autoimmune conditions such as seasonal allergies, asthma, eczema, etc.
Types of Dyslexia
There is no one type of the disorder, symptoms also vary from type to type. There are four different types of dyslexia:
- Phonological: also known as auditory dyslexia, involves having trouble breaking down words into smaller units, and difficulty matching sounds to words.
- Surface: also called visual dyslexia, this is when the individual has trouble recognizing words by sight.
- Rapid naming deficit: this is when individuals have trouble naming a letter or number when seen.
- Double deficit: this is when the individual has trouble isolating the sounds to name letters and numbers.
If a person has difficulty with numbers and math, specifically, the medical term for this dyscalculia. It sometimes occurs with dyslexia or independently.
Moreover, directional dyslexia is a term that is commonly used when a person has trouble differentiating left and right.
Diagnosis
People with dyslexia are most likely to receive a diagnosis in the earlier stages of their lives, as children or young adults.
Adults who are diagnosed with dyslexia have usually had it all their lives or suffered some sort of brain injury which caused this.
An early diagnosis is essential and probably most helpful. If you ever suspect that your children or anyone around you are displaying symptoms of dyslexia, it is best to consult a professional.
With the world advancing and becoming more open to learning disorders, dyslexic children are tested individually made just for them. Teachers and counselors build their planners keeping in mind their difficulties.
Such a concept is foreign in Pakistan and needs to be implemented to make lives easier for children going through dyslexia.
Managing Dyslexia
Coming towards the treatment for this disorder; dyslexia has no cure. A range of approaches can be applied to help tackle the symptoms and difficulties one faces.
As stated earlier, dyslexia affects each person differently and most people find ways to accommodate their learning differences and thrive. By receiving an early diagnosis, it can become considerably easier to manage the condition through:
(something that should be implemented in the Pakistani way of living as well)
- An evaluation of individual needs: this helps teachers make a personalized program.
- Adapted learning tools: special learning that will help children with dyslexia.
- Guidance and support: counseling can help minimize the effects on their self-esteem.
- Ongoing evaluation: adults may benefit from ongoing analysis and studies to improve their conditions.
Disorder, not Weakness
Coming towards an end, it is imperative to remember that your learning disorders or your disabilities are not your weaknesses! It is what makes you so unique, it is what makes you entirely yourself. There is nothing stronger than embracing your difficulties.
Keep your chin up, and keep thriving!
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