Most of you that have been around the forums a long time, know that I'm dyslexic. Someone on another thread mentioned that he is, too. When I was in school, no one ever heard of it. I thought I was stupid. I graduated from one of the top academic high schools in the country at that time, with a high B average-couldn't get the math. But knowing how hard I had to struggle, and how many times I had to do things over, I really thought I was dumber than a box of rocks. I didn't find out about my problem til I was 36. It was quite a relief, I knew then that I'm not dumb.

Nowadays, there's programs to retrain dyslexic children. There's a whole lot more symptoms that reading backwards and having trouble with math. Co-ordination, rhythm, repitition, aim, etc.

Just wondering(not being nosey) if any others of you are dylexic or have other learning disabilities, and how you handle it/them. I'm also hyper.

The best things I have found to help with it, or for matter most of life, is to learn to laugh at yourself.

-- Cindy (S.E.IN) (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), April 16, 2002

Answers

Cindy my neice & her daughter are dyslexic----My niece had a terrible time in school & now she is married & has two children & both of them are dylexic & the teachers are not being able to help them-------my niece had soooo much trouble in school /that when I talk to her about home schooling as my daughter does with her family------my niece goes into spaz-matic attacks!! ha!

Is there help on the internet I can referr my niece to----she is just beside herself---she works full time---& was not raised in a careing helpful or Christain home & her mother (my sister) is NO help to my niece----I would love to be able to help them!!!

My niece's daughter & her older son have just been passed on in school never really understanding what -was going on--or being taught in the right manner---now they are talking of her daughter haveing to repeat the school year--with the same teacher --who has taught her nothing this year!!!!

Can you help me---to help my niece with her children????????????? Blessings to you----sonda

-- Sonda in Ks. (sgbruce@birch.net), April 16, 2002.

Hi Cindy! Yes you have company out here. My son has mild disgraphia, which is a handwriting problem-he reads fine, but somehow his writing is upside down and backward. I had to really fight to get him into a special education program becouse his I.Q. was high and he was in gifted and talented program, so some teachers were convinced he was just lazy. The concept of someone who is gifted and learning disabled is hard for some to accept-I admit I was thrown a bit at first-I did tons of research and fortuantly had a sympathtic principal. Actually, he stays in his own class, he just does most of his written work on computers instead of it being handwritten. Theres a very omplicated reason why he can work on computers and not do handwriting-something about the way the brain accesses chunks of information. He also does a series of occupational therepy exercises and has tutoring twice a week where they focus on his handwriting and spelling. His grades have gone up dramaticlly since he was given this consession. I have a cousin with severe dyslexia -his high school guidence counciler tried to steer him into the "trades" section of highschool. He barely graduated, then joined the airforce. They recongnized his disability, sent him to a special school, and now he's a rocketry engineer in Southern California. He's had offers to do consulting work after he retires from the Air Force. My brother in law was diagonosed as an adult with Attention Deficit Disorder, he manages to get along with several planners and many post- it notes. He teaches highschool math and Physics and perfectly fits the "absentminded professor" sterotype, though he is a wonderful and funny person and people don't mind chasing after him with his notebooks and whatever he's left behind. You are right-keeping a sense of humor is essential!

-- Kelly (homearts2002@yahoo.com), April 16, 2002.

Sonda, you can do a search on Dyslexia, I don't know any specific websites. (here's someplace in Michigan(I think) that is a national organization. I've never looked into it any further. I worked for someone whose son is dyslexic and was in a remedial society, they even did fund raising. In fact, she's the one that noticed 'my symptoms' and talked to me about it. Then I worked for a transactional analyst-cleaning-and she gave me a test, I had all but 3 of the symptoms.

A couple of myths about dyslexia: you have to be left-handed, and you have to be a male, not so.

There are lots of famous people with the problem, including Cher and Bruce Jenner(won the decathelon in the Olympics years back).

There's a theory, yes I actually red the small book about it, that says your soul is in backwards.

Speaking of handwriting, Kelly, my daughter, Jill, didn't write upside down, but her teacher told me not to push about her writing, cause, she'd never be able to write well. She does EKG's or something to that affect in a hospital so I guess you can write badly and still succeed.

When I point to something, my DH always looks to the right or left, cause he knows, I won't be pointing at what I'm looking at. Makes you wonder how I can shoot a rifle so well. But then I've learned to cope and find my own way.

It takes quite a bit of time to go back and correct all the typos I make in typing something this long.

When I read, I quickly memorize the next line, while I'm reading the one I'm on. I have to read very fast if reading out loud, or I'd be reading the same thing 10 minutes from then. If that makes sense to you , you could be dyslexic:} And I don't read really long posts on the forums, unless I have a whole lot of time, it just doesn't work, bifocals don't help with that either.

-- Cindy (S.E.IN) (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), April 16, 2002.

I have trouble with the concept of left and right, clockwise and counterclockwise. I mostly deal with it by planning ahead. While figuring doses of meds as a nurse I didn't just double check: I triple or quadruple checked my math; using 2 separate formulas to avoid getting stuck in a groove, so to speak. If I don't know I am reversing numbers it is easy to make the same mistake 2x if I use the same mathematical equations. That does NOT happen if I use 2 different formulas to solve the same problem! When I drive I remind myself at times that left is towards my wedding ring. If I haven't been to a place for a little while I may double check a map before I go and write out the turns on a piece of paper that I can re-read at the red lights. It is very easy to remember things as a mirror image, even if I am in a place where I used to live. Of course, I don't REALIZE that I am doing the mirror image bit until I turn left instead of right and everything looks wrong! I also carry a map and a compass in the car in case I get lost, which rarely occurs, now.

-- Terri (hooperterri@prodigy.net), April 16, 2002.

Could some of you give us tips on how to recognize this problem in children, and how one would go about helping a dyslexic child? Also, does it seems to run in families? Thanks

-- mary (mlg@mlg.com), April 16, 2002.

I am and so is ny youngest son. Dyslexia is also known as language disorder. Ours are specifically known as receptive and expressive language disorders. That put into plain english is reading and writing input and output. My son is going to a special camp this summer in New York state to remediate him. I'm 44 and was just diagnosed officially 3 years ago. I just graduated from college, with honors, but it was very hard work. I did have accommodations in college, untimed tests in a private quiet room, use of a dictionary, use of a calculator, and if I needed I could ask for help in understanding questions.

Myself and my two children as well as my sister and her family all also have ADHD/ADD. Language disorders are VERY common with ADHD/ADD as well as many other disorders, such as anxiety, depression, and obsessive compulsive disorder. Some are more common in children and some in adults. You do NOT out grow ADHD/ADD you just learn to accommodate.

Susan

-- Susan in MN (nanaboo@paulbunyan.net), April 16, 2002.

Also check into the Irlen Syndrome, also called Scotopic Sensitivity.

It has to do with how the eye and brain process information, and there are reasonably priced, non-invasive solutions.

http://www.readingandwriting.ab.ca/judypool/irlen.htm

www.irlen.com

http://www.help4teachers.com/irlen.htm

-- Rose (open_rose@hotmail.com), April 16, 2002.

For what it might be worth it's my understanding that everyone has some level of dyslesia. I know I do. Apparently it's just the level one has that differentiates us somewhat. I agree with you about learning to laugh at yourself. Sometimes I really think my occasional dyslexic moments are a blessing in disguise. You ought to read some things as I read them the first time. I get some really good laughs everyone elses misses. ;o)

My lovely former spouse was quantifiably dyslexic and it caused her more than a few problems in school over the years. Just reading was a challenge but she didn't let on there was a problem for years. She would have rather had me believe she just didn't want to take the time to balance our checkbook rather than admit it was something she had trouble doing because of her dyslexia. When she finally was properly diagnosed and treated properly for the condition her world changed.

I'm very happy and proud to tell you that two years ago next month she was awarded a Master's in Business Administration from Indiana University, one of the top five graduate business schools in the country.

-- Gary in Indiana (gk6854@aol.com), April 16, 2002.

Hi Cindy, I don't have dyslexia but my husband does. He, too, thought he was dumb and stupid when he was in school. He was called lazy by both his teachers and his mother and that he just was not trying hard enough. Needless to say he barely managed to graduate from high school. He then entered the Air Force, which is where we met. I knew he was not stupid and over the years as I saw more and more symptoms we tried repeatedly to get the AF to test him but they said we don't do that for adults. Very frustrating. During his career in the AF he was a radio tech, an EMT who was also a shift supervisor in the ER, and the last 15 years as an OSI agent (criminal investigator) who had to write reports and review evidence and he won several awards over the years. Even with all his success there was always that little voice in the back of his head that whispered you're stupid and dumb.

He retired from the AF after almost 23 years and is now about to start his 3rd year of college. After the first year we finally got the VA to pay for him to be tested. In some areas he tested well above genius and others far below. He reads at a fourth grade level and it takes him alot longer to read or write something. He can't listen to the professors and write at the same time. The VA has paid for tape recorders and books on tapes for him to use in class. They will pay for tutors as well. And math is almost out of the question. He has tried to take it every semester but can't make it thru the first week. He falls too far behind.

But, finally having the diagnosis at age 40, it has given him a bit of relief. He knows intellectually that he's smart (Dean's List) but years of name calling does take its toll.

He is an art major and he loves to sculpt. He just won a grant to build and install a sulpture in Denver at the Museum of Outdoor Art. He is in Denver now installing it. I will go over on Thur for the reception in his honor. Also, in March he entered an art show and won Best of Show with his marble sculpture.

Interesting in that the test revealed he would do exceptionally well in visual arts and working with his hands. Also I believe that it does run in families. His mother, sister, brother, and a niece all have dyslexia. And after his diagnosis he recieved a written apology from his mother for the way she treated him growing up and the awful things she said to him, but the damage was still done.

If we had it to do over we would have fought harder to get testing done earlier. And yes we laugh at some of the things he does. He knows that when I go right behind to check something he has done it is not because I think he is wrong it is just one of the areas he messes up in. He never gives up and knows he smart.

-- Billie in CO (bbsowell@earthlink.net), April 16, 2002.

I don't have dyslexia, I reverse numbers..always have..I also add differently often and forget subtraction..the nuns all through grade school thought I was lazy because I simple could NOT remember the multiplication tables//same with sequesntial numbers, as in telephone numbers..no can do....anymore than 3 numbers in a row and I am lost! Someone at Princeton told me the name of this rare disorder and I cannot recall it now....anyway, there IS a learning disorder regarding the inability to "see" numbers in order and recall them sequentially..it wreaks havoc on the checkbook LOL..I add $45 and $45 two or three times and get many different answers..I loved it when calculators came out, until I found that I couldn't recall the numbers long enough to punch them in! SO I have to put one finger on the number and keep it there, look at it and punch that number into the calculator one digit at a time...made me feel very stupid until i found out it was an actual disorder.

-- lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), April 16, 2002.

I did not learn that I was dyslexic til i was in my 30's. My Mother went back to school to be a Teacher when she was 54. She would often have me read over her homework (reading has never been a problem with me). She wrote a report about Dyslexia, when I read it I said Mom that is ME!!! We both did more research and learned a little more about Dislexia.

When I was a child and into young Manhood I would get very frustrated when trying to learn something new, I would often lose my temper (OOOHHH what a temper I had!!!). As I became older I learned to control my temper and I took my time when learning new things. When I discovered that I was Dyslexic and learned a little about Dyslexia, things became much easier for me.

Dyslexia affects people in different ways, some people have problems reading, I never knew that I did as I read everything and loved reading, now that I know I have Dyslexia I relized why I have no problems reading upside down or backwoods print. Math was always a weak area for me and I had a very hard time with it in school, when I got older and started selling for commission I learned %'s real fast (when it affects my wallet I am quick!). My biggest problem has been when words, numbers and even thoughts enter my brain they don't always exit in the same order or form, I may hear and understand the word DOG but it may not exit my mouth as DOG or show up on paper as DOG it may come out as TODD. When I write down a phone number and am not paying close attention it may be all scrambled up, which is always fun when I took a message for my boss.

The best advice I can give someone who suffers with Dyslexia is to PRACTICE, PRACTICE. PRACTICE, LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN, REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT, you must TRAIN your brain!!!! It is much easy living with Dyslexia as an adult, it can be very frustating as a child. I wish I could offer more advice to help a child.

At one point in my life Dyslexia served me well, when I graduated from High School I went into printing, I ran a 6 color Flexo-Press, many guys had a hard time setting up jobs on the 6 color press, but I took it it like a duck to water, guys with many years excperience on these presses were amazed how quickly and percise I could set up a job, lookng back at it I belive it was the Dyslexia that helped me. I loved the challanage of setting up and running thepress, but never could deal with all the Bosses and headaches of factory work.

Well I hope some of this rambling info can be a help to someone! GOOD LUCK!!!

-- Mark in N.C. Florida (deadgoatman@webtv.net), April 16, 2002.

One thing to remember, please, when talking about learning disabilities, is that people have a tendancy to call all rdisabilities "dyslexia". Dyslexia is a specific learning disability with specific critiria-there are many others-dysphonia-where people get sounds mixed up, dysgraphia- handwriting, theres one specifically for math-dyscalcula I think. Plus there are others. One of the biggest problems is seperating learning disability from intellegence- many many incredabily intellegent people have learning disabilities- many learn to mask or hide thier disability, or tragically, have masked thier intellegence behind the disability. I work with kids with learning disabilites-mostly on the beginning reading level. One of the things I'm really interested in is the research now being done on different types of learning-they have identified 7 types of learning-some kids learn by listening, or by sight-observing, some are kenetic, some are musical, some are body conscious or athletic, some are more touch oriented and social, I believe is the last. If you can match up the kid with the learning style-great! But what to do with a kinetic always moving childin a school setting? Theres a lot of challanges there!

-- Kelly (homearts2002@yahoo.com), April 16, 2002.

I have dyslexia and I'm hyper, too. Most of my kids have the same 'problems' I do. I think part of the dyslexia has to do with getting into too much of a hurry because of the ADD. (Please don't tell me there is no such thing- I know better). I use both to my advantage. I LOVE to do word puzzles and so do my kids. We can see everything, no matter which direction it is written- even mixed up. Being good at something other people find difficult is a real self- esteem booster. As far as the hyper thing, we use most of our energy early in the day then we can settle down to quiet work in the afternoon. You just have to work around the 'problems' and make them strengths. Turn them to your advantage and keep your sense of humor.

I got good grades in school as long as they stayed with whatever method I first learned with. I didn't adapt easily to change and neither do my children. Also, we need a little longer time to do things. For instance, I am no good on instant messenger, but I am fine writing Email. Need the luxury of time to edit.

I guess what I am saying is not to get all worked up over it (note: I wrote "ti" 3 times trying to write "it"). When life gives you lemons, make lemonade or pie ;^)

-- Gayle in KY (gayleannesmith@yahoo.com), April 16, 2002.

From what I understand, the math version of dyslexia is discalcula. I never had a problem with reading, but can't add a column of figures to save my life. I reverse numbers, even putting them into a calculator. I got through school long before they had a name for the problem, so I thought for years that I was the only one in the world who couldn't add the simplest figures. It sure can cause havoc in the old checkbook.

-- melina b. (goatgalmjb1@hotmail.com), April 17, 2002.

Gayle, my best word game is bowl-a-score challenge II I always get 5 in about 10 seconds. Dovetail words are very easy. I do lots of word games.

Also, My ex-MIL said you can higher your IQ by doing word games)

-- Cindy (S.E.IN) (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), April 17, 2002.

It does run in families - my family has lots of learning disabilities & ADD & dh's family has very little. Unfortunately for him, both kids & I have multiple problems. We use training & meds to help overcome ADD symptoms (proper meds can be a lifesaver - it was for me!) and a good sense of humor for the dyslexia.

-- Bonnie (stichart@plix.com), April 17, 2002.

I came up with an analogy of what it's like being dyslexic. It's like a rear-tyne tiller. Your brain is going at one speed, while the rest of you is going at another.

-- Cindy (S.E.IN) (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), May 09, 2002.