Symptoms of, Testing for and Diagnosis of Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a condition that affects perhaps 1 out of every 10 people. Dyslexics do not perceive the same things as do non-dyslexics when they read or look at symbols. Their eyes get the same images, but their brains do not interpret them the same way. This causes problems in reading, spelling and going from the written to the spoken words using the correct sounds.)
We have learned a great deal about dyslexia in the last 25 years. In the last 10-15 years it has become common practice to screen school age students for dyslexia at an early age.
Any child who exhibits any dyslexia symptoms is now routinely screened out and put through full dyslexia testing. If the child is found to be dyslexic, he or she is given special training to overcome any problems that might have shown up.
But those of us who graduated from elementary school more than 15 years ago had no such luck. We went through the educational system before screening for dyslexia and dyslexia testing became commonplace and widely available.
So the dyslexics amongst us were on their own, with no help and no sympathy from the educational apparati. Most were mistakenly branded as “slow learners”, “under-achievers” or a bit dull and slow. Most were embarrassed by their problems, ashamed that they were “different”. Most learned to hide their problems.
Today something like 95% of adult dyslexics are unaware that dyslexia is the root of their problems with reading aloud, spelling, keeping to a schedule, writing down what someone tells them, etc. So they go around still afflicted with these problems, not knowing that they could be helped and that all of these problems could be overcome.
The problem with diagnosing dyslexia in these dyslexic individuals has two parts. First, they don’t know they are dyslexic, and second, they consciously and unconsciously hide their symptoms.
These forgotten adult dyslexics are suffering needlessly! Once they go through dyslexia testing and are diagnosed, they can be taught and shown how to overcome any of the problems associated with dyslexia. The test is fast and cheap, takes about half an hour over the Internet, can be taken anywhere they have access to the Internet. Just follow the links above, click on “Articles” and read “How I Learned to Beat Dyslexia!” to understand more.
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 any sort of medical advice. For medical advice the reader should consult with his or her physician or other medical specialist.
– Jorge G Chavez