How does dyslexia affect daily life beyond reading and writing. What strategies can help couples manage dyslexia-related challenges in their relationship. How can partners support each other’s strengths and overcome difficulties associated with dyslexia.

Understanding Dyslexia: More Than Just Reading and Writing

Dyslexia is often misunderstood as a condition that solely affects reading and writing abilities. However, its impact extends far beyond these areas, influencing various aspects of daily life. People with dyslexia may experience challenges with memory, organization, time management, concentration, multitasking, and communication. These difficulties can significantly affect personal relationships, especially when sharing a household or raising a family together.

Can dyslexia affect cognitive functions other than reading and writing? Indeed, it can. Dyslexia is a complex neurological condition that influences how the brain processes information. This can lead to difficulties in areas such as:

• Short-term memory retention
• Organizational skills
• Time perception and management
• Maintaining focus on tasks
• Juggling multiple responsibilities
• Verbal and non-verbal communication

Understanding these broader implications is crucial for partners of individuals with dyslexia. It allows for greater empathy and the development of effective strategies to navigate daily life together.

Practical Strategies for Managing Daily Challenges

Living with a dyslexic partner may require some adjustments and creative problem-solving. Here are some practical strategies that can help couples manage common challenges:

Appointments and Time Management

Do dyslexic individuals struggle with remembering appointments? Often, yes. To address this:

• Set up mobile phone reminders for important dates and appointments
• Use a prominently displayed calendar in the home
• Request text reminders from healthcare providers for appointments
• Allow extra time when planning to be somewhere together

Organization and Tidiness

Is clutter a common issue for people with dyslexia? It can be, due to difficulties with organization. Try these solutions:

• Agree on designated spaces for personal belongings
• Use closed storage solutions that allow easy access while reducing visual clutter
• Implement a system where items have a specific “home” to return to after use

Reading and Writing Support

How can partners assist with reading and writing tasks? Consider these approaches:

• Offer to proofread important documents
• Use dyslexia-friendly fonts and adjust screen settings to reduce visual stress
• Print documents instead of reading from screens when possible
• Share administrative tasks based on individual strengths

Emotional Support and Building Self-Esteem

The emotional impact of dyslexia on individuals should not be underestimated. Many people with dyslexia have faced misconceptions and stigma, which can affect their self-esteem. As a partner, providing emotional support is crucial.

How can you boost your dyslexic partner’s confidence? Try these approaches:

• Regularly acknowledge and celebrate their strengths and achievements
• Encourage open communication about their experiences with dyslexia
• Show patience and understanding during challenging moments
• Educate yourself about dyslexia to better understand their perspective

By fostering a supportive environment, you can help your partner feel valued and understood, which can significantly improve their overall well-being and the quality of your relationship.

Navigating Social Situations and Communication

Social interactions can sometimes be challenging for individuals with dyslexia. They may struggle with processing verbal information quickly or feel anxious about potential misunderstandings. As a partner, you can play a crucial role in helping navigate these situations.

How can you support your dyslexic partner in social settings? Consider these strategies:

• Discuss social plans in advance to alleviate anxiety
• Offer subtle cues or support during conversations if needed
• Be prepared to explain or rephrase information if your partner seems confused
• Create a signal that your partner can use if they need a break or support

Effective communication within your relationship is equally important. When sharing information or giving instructions, remember to:

• Break down complex information into smaller, manageable chunks
• Ask one question at a time to avoid overwhelming your partner
• Use visual aids like maps or numbered lists when giving directions
• Be patient and willing to repeat information if necessary

Leveraging Technology to Overcome Challenges

In today’s digital age, technology offers numerous tools and applications that can significantly aid individuals with dyslexia. These technological solutions can help manage many of the challenges associated with dyslexia, from organization to navigation.

Which technological tools can benefit people with dyslexia? Here are some useful options:

• Smartphone apps for reminders, to-do lists, and calendar management
• Text-to-speech and speech-to-text software for reading and writing assistance
• GPS and map applications for navigation support
• Spell-check and grammar-correction tools
• Digital planners and organization apps

Encouraging your partner to explore and utilize these technological aids can greatly enhance their independence and confidence in managing daily tasks. However, it’s important to remember that what works for one person may not work for another, so be patient in finding the right tools for your partner’s specific needs.

Adapting to Routine Changes and Unexpected Situations

Many individuals with dyslexia rely heavily on routines to manage their daily lives effectively. While routines can be beneficial, they can also make it challenging to adapt to unexpected changes or interruptions. As a partner, understanding this aspect of dyslexia can help you provide better support during times of change.

How can you help your partner cope with changes in routine? Try these approaches:

• Plan ahead for known changes and discuss them in advance
• Break down new routines into smaller, manageable steps
• Use visual aids like calendars or charts to illustrate changes
• Be patient and offer reassurance during transitions
• Help create new routines that incorporate necessary changes

Remember that adapting to changes may take more time and energy for your partner. Showing understanding and support during these times can significantly reduce stress and anxiety associated with disruptions to their routine.

Recognizing and Capitalizing on Dyslexic Strengths

While much focus is often placed on the challenges of dyslexia, it’s crucial to recognize and celebrate the unique strengths that many individuals with dyslexia possess. These strengths can be valuable assets in both personal and professional life.

What are some common strengths associated with dyslexia? Many individuals with dyslexia excel in areas such as:

• Creative thinking and problem-solving
• Visual-spatial reasoning
• Big-picture thinking and pattern recognition
• Verbal communication and storytelling
• Empathy and emotional intelligence
• Entrepreneurial mindset and innovation

As a partner, encouraging and supporting these strengths can boost your loved one’s confidence and help them thrive. Consider finding ways to incorporate these strengths into daily life and shared activities. For example, if your partner excels in visual-spatial tasks, they might take the lead in home decoration or DIY projects. Recognizing and valuing these abilities can lead to a more balanced and appreciative relationship dynamic.

Fostering Open Communication and Mutual Understanding

The foundation of any strong relationship is open, honest communication. This becomes even more crucial when one partner has dyslexia. Creating an environment where both partners feel comfortable expressing their needs, frustrations, and victories is essential for navigating the unique challenges that dyslexia can bring to a relationship.

How can couples improve communication around dyslexia-related issues? Consider these strategies:

• Set aside regular time to discuss any challenges or concerns
• Practice active listening and validate each other’s feelings
• Be honest about frustrations, but approach them as a team
• Celebrate successes and improvements together
• Educate yourselves about dyslexia as a couple
• Seek professional support or couples counseling if needed

Remember that understanding and adapting to each other’s needs is a continuous process. Be patient with yourselves and each other as you navigate this journey together.

Balancing Support and Independence

While support is crucial, it’s equally important to foster independence in your dyslexic partner. Finding the right balance between offering help and encouraging self-reliance can be challenging but is essential for a healthy relationship.

How can you support your partner without overstepping? Try these approaches:

• Ask if they want help before offering it
• Encourage them to develop their own coping strategies
• Celebrate their independent accomplishments
• Avoid taking over tasks they can do themselves, even if it takes longer
• Discuss and agree on areas where they need support versus independence

Remember that the goal is to empower your partner while providing a supportive foundation. This balance will likely evolve over time, so maintain open communication about what works best for both of you.

The Impact of Fatigue on Dyslexia Symptoms

It’s important to recognize that the challenges associated with dyslexia can become more pronounced when an individual is tired. The extra effort required to navigate daily tasks can be mentally and physically exhausting for people with dyslexia.

How does fatigue affect dyslexia symptoms? Tiredness can lead to:

• Increased difficulty with reading and writing
• More pronounced memory lapses
• Greater challenges with organization and time management
• Reduced ability to concentrate or multitask
• Heightened emotional sensitivity

As a partner, being aware of these effects can help you respond with patience and understanding. Encourage your partner to prioritize rest and self-care, and be prepared to offer extra support during particularly demanding periods.

Addressing Visual Stress in Reading

Some individuals with dyslexia experience visual stress when reading, especially with high-contrast text like black print on a white background. This can cause words to appear blurry, distorted, or even seem to move on the page, making reading even more challenging and tiring.

How can you help alleviate visual stress for your partner? Consider these solutions:

• Use colored overlays or change screen background colors
• Adjust text size, font style, and line spacing for easier reading
• Encourage regular breaks during reading tasks
• Explore digital reading tools with customizable display options
• Consider consulting with a specialist in visual stress and dyslexia

By addressing visual stress, you can help make reading more comfortable and less fatiguing for your partner, potentially improving their overall experience with text-based tasks.

Navigating Career Challenges Together

Dyslexia can present unique challenges in the workplace, but with the right support and strategies, individuals with dyslexia can thrive in their careers. As a partner, you can play a crucial role in supporting your loved one’s professional growth and success.

How can you support your dyslexic partner’s career development? Consider these approaches:

• Encourage them to disclose their dyslexia to employers if they feel comfortable doing so
• Help research workplace accommodations that could be beneficial
• Assist with proofreading important work documents if needed
• Provide emotional support during challenging work periods
• Celebrate their professional achievements and strengths
• Encourage pursuit of careers that align with their unique abilities

Remember that many successful professionals have dyslexia. With the right support and strategies, your partner can leverage their unique strengths to excel in their chosen field.

The Role of Self-Advocacy in Managing Dyslexia

Encouraging your partner to advocate for themselves is a crucial aspect of supporting their journey with dyslexia. Self-advocacy involves understanding one’s rights, needs, and strengths, and effectively communicating these to others.

How can you help your partner develop strong self-advocacy skills? Try these strategies:

• Encourage them to learn about their legal rights regarding dyslexia accommodations
• Practice role-playing scenarios where they might need to explain their needs
• Support them in identifying and articulating their strengths and challenges
• Encourage them to join support groups or connect with other individuals with dyslexia
• Celebrate instances where they successfully advocate for themselves

By fostering self-advocacy skills, you empower your partner to take control of their experiences with dyslexia and navigate various life situations more confidently.

Embracing Neurodiversity in Your Relationship

Viewing dyslexia through the lens of neurodiversity can be transformative for your relationship. This perspective recognizes that neurological differences like dyslexia are a natural part of human variation, bringing both challenges and unique strengths.

How can embracing neurodiversity benefit your relationship? Consider these aspects:

• It fosters mutual respect for different ways of thinking and problem-solving
• It encourages appreciation of each other’s unique cognitive strengths
• It promotes a more inclusive and accepting atmosphere in your relationship
• It can lead to more creative solutions to shared challenges
• It helps both partners grow in empathy and understanding

By embracing neurodiversity, you and your partner can build a relationship that not only accommodates differences but celebrates them, leading to a stronger, more resilient partnership.

Living with a dyslexic partner

There is a common misconception that dyslexia only affects the ability to read and write. In reality, dyslexia can affect memory, organisation, time-keeping, concentration, multi-tasking and communication. All impact on everyday life.

If you’re in a relationship with someone whose brain works differently to yours it can be confusing and frustrating. Especially if you have the responsibility of running a household and family together.

There are some strategies that may help:

You partner may find it difficult to remember appointments or meetings, or to judge how long a particular task will take (some dyslexic individuals do use effective strategies and are highly organised).

• Set mobile phone reminders for important dates or appointments, or use a calendar in a prominent place
• Ask the doctor, dentist or hospital to send mobile phone text reminders for appointments
• If you find their untidiness overwhelming. They can help by agreeing to put their stuff behind closed doors (e.g. in cupboards/drawers) in such a way that they can still ‘lay hands’ on it, but you can’t see it

Tiredness

Dyslexic people have to work harder than others, and often work extra hours, to overcome daily challenges. When they are tired their dyslexic ‘symptoms’ can be more pronounced as they don’t have the energy to employ their usual coping strategies.

• Be aware that your partner’s dyslexic ‘symptoms’ may be more obvious when they are tired, and try to be patient

Reading and/or writing

Your partner may rely on you to proofread things they have written, or avoid writing as much as possible. Tasks that involve reading or writing can also be tricky such as: making a shopping list, taking a telephone message or buying all the items on a shopping list.

These difficulties often mean that the non-dyslexic partner takes on more of the household and school administrative duties.

Some dyslexic people experience a visual stress effect when reading, especially if there is glare from black print and a bright white background. This can make the words unclear, distorted or appear to move and can be very tiring.

• Change the background colour of the screen, use a dyslexia-friendly font, or a larger print
• Try printing the page rather than reading directly from a screen
• Work to your strengths, so if the non-dyslexic partner is taking on more of the ‘administrative duties’ make sure that other tasks are shared

Self-esteem

Many people with dyslexia have struggled with other people’s misconceptions at some point. They might be apprehensive about revealing that they are dyslexic and if they haven’t been well-supported during education or in the workplace, they may have been left feeling ‘stupid’ or embarrassed by their dyslexia.

• Reassure your partner and remind them of all their strengths. Make the effort to see things through your partner’s eyes rather than expecting them to conform to your way of thinking

Information

Too much information, such as a list of instructions or directions, will be hard for the dyslexic brain to process and remember.

• Ask one question at a time, or break information like directions down into smaller chunks (e.g. 1 or 2 at a time). You could also try drawing a map, or writing a numbered list to help your partner remember information

Time-keeping

Poor short-term memory and concentration can mean that your partner is easily distracted. They may spend time every morning looking for their misplaced keys or phone, which can make it difficult to leave the house on time. Dyslexic people who find reading text really difficult won’t be able to rely on prompts and reminders such as calendars and ‘to do’ lists, but for other dyslexic individuals these may be effective strategies.

• Some dyslexic people set their watches fast to give them a better chance of being on time, and put reminders on their phone or computer. If you have to be somewhere together at a certain time, then factor in this difficulty and allow extra time.

Sense of direction

Dyslexic people can struggle with direction: they may often get lost or feel nervous about going to unfamiliar places. They may also find ‘left’ or ‘right’ instructions difficult to follow, or give.

• Technology is a great support for a poor sense of direction. Many phones have a free map app, or try using a SatNav
• If giving verbal instructions don’t use ‘left’ or ‘right’ instructions, try verbal hints such as ‘follow the yellow car’, or indicate with your hand which way to turn

Daily routines

A set routine can be a good coping strategy. However, a reliance on routine can mean that it’s difficult to adapt when that routine is interrupted.

• Be aware that a change of routine may have a knock-on effect to the rest of the day, and plan ahead. For example, you can set reminders on your phone for times and places of appointments, and what you need to take with you

Social situations

Your partner may be reserved because they are worried about saying the wrong thing in a social situation, or be very extrovert and put their foot in it. If social situations require reading (like a menu) or writing, some dyslexic individuals may find this awkward and may not always want to say why.

• If possible, try to be open about being dyslexic. There is greater awareness these days and most people have an idea of what dyslexia is, even if only a narrow understanding. If not, then it may be a good topic of conversation

Concentration

Your partner may find it really hard to process different stimuli at the same time so, for example, having a conversation with the TV on may make it difficult for your partner to really focus on what is being said.

• If you want your partner to focus on something, try to remove any distractions such as a radio or television. Choose a time when your partner isn’t absorbed in another task, like cooking or working on the computer

Self expression

Some dyslexic people find that their mind races, and they struggle to find the right words to express themselves or to verbally keep up with the speed of their thoughts. Conversely, they often know the answer but need time to retrieve it from their memory.

• A pause during conversations doesn’t necessarily mean your partner isn’t listening (although they may not be!). They may just need more time to process what has been said and to think about what they want to say. Be prepared to give your partner ‘thinking time’

Memory

Dyslexia can affect short term memory, so your partner may forget a conversation, a task they have promised to do, or important dates. They may also struggle to remember the names of people they have met or how to get to places they have visited before.

• Try verbal reminders, calendars, a whiteboard that you can write a ‘to do’ list or ‘don’t forget’ list on each day. Encourage your partner to get into the habit of using the calendars and reminders on their phone or computer

Good days and bad days

You may find that some days your partner’s dyslexic difficulties will be more pronounced than others.

• If you are aware that this can happen, and it’s out of your partner’s control then this understanding can make it less frustrating. Encourage your partner to let you know if they are having a ‘bad’ day

Remember – one way of thinking isn’t better than another. A dyslexic mindset can bring a completely different understanding to a problem or situation, so it’s really important to respect each other’s views and ways of working.

Directional Confusion May Be a Sign of Dyslexia

Most children look forward to learning to read and do so quickly. For children with dyslexia, however, the experience is very different. For them, reading, which seems to come effortlessly for everyone else, appears to be beyond their grasp.

The process whereby they learn to transform what are essentially abstract squiggles on a page into meaningful letters, then sounds, then words, and then entire sentences and paragraphs, seems to be an impossible task.

They grow frustrated and disappointed. Teachers wonder what they or the child might be doing wrong, often misdiagnosing the problem or getting bad advice. Parents question themselves, feeling alternately guilty and angry.

According to author Sally Shaywitz, dyslexia affects one out of every five children ― ten million in America alone. In every neighborhood and every classroom worldwide, children are struggling to read. For many affected children, dyslexia has extinguished the joys of childhood.
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Directional confusion – a common symptom

Directional confusion is a common symptom of dyslexia and may take several forms, from being uncertain of which is left and right to being unable to read a map accurately. Directional confusion affects other concepts such as up and down, top and bottom, compass directions, keeping one’s place when playing games, being able to copy the gym teacher’s movements when he is facing you, and so on.

As many as eight out of ten severely dyslexic children have directional confusion. The percentage is lower for those with a mild condition.

Directional confusion comes in the following forms:

• Left–right confusion:
o   A child should know their left and right by the age of five and be able to distinguish someone else’s by the age of seven.
o   Dyslexics often have to use whatever tricks their mother or teacher taught them to tell left from right, even into adulthood.
o   A common saying in households with dyslexic people is, “It’s on the left. The other left.”
o   That’s why they reverse b and d. One points to the left and the other to the right.
o   They may read or write words like no for on, rat for tar, won for now, saw for was.
o   They may mirror write letters and perhaps numbers, ‘’ for ‘y’, ‘ε’ for ‘3’.
o   They may mirror write words, like ‘’ for Susan.
o   They will often start math problems on the wrong side, want to carry a number the wrong way, or read or write 17 for 71.
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• Up–down confusion:
o   Some children with dyslexia are also up-down confused. For example, they confuse b–p or d–q, n–u, m–w, t–f.
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• Confusion about directionality words:
o   First–last, before–after, next–previous, over–under
o   Yesterday–tomorrow (directionality in time)
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• North, south, east, and west confusion:
o   Adults with dyslexia get lost a lot when driving around, even in cities where they’ve lived for many years
o   Often have difficulty reading or understanding maps.
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Directional confusion also explains many of the difficulties some children with dyslexia have in learning to tie their shoelaces. Most children can tie their shoelaces at the age of five. Over 90 percent of children with dyslexia are later than average in acquiring this skill, and without intervention, around half do not pick this up until the age of ten or later, and even then, they are not 100 percent successful.
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Overcome the problem by addressing the cause

The inability to discriminate between a ‘b’ and a ‘d’ is usually caused by a visual perceptual problem, specifically a problem with processing position in space.

Before one can read or learn anything, one has to become aware of it through one of the senses. Usually, one has to hear or see it. In other words, perception must take place. Subsequently, one has to interpret whatever one has seen or heard. In essence, then, perception means interpretation.

Of course, a lack of experience may cause a person to misinterpret what he has seen or heard. In other words, perception represents our apprehension of a present situation in terms of our past experiences, or, as stated by the philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724-1804): “We see things not as they are but as we are.”

The following situation will illustrate how perception correlates with previous experience:

Suppose a person parked his car and walked away from it while continuing to look back at it. As they went further away from their car, it would appear to them as if their car was gradually getting smaller and smaller. In such a situation, however, none of us would gasp in horror and cry, “My car is shrinking!”

Although the sensory perception is that the car is shrinking rapidly, we do not interpret that the car is changing size. Past experiences have taught us that objects do not grow or shrink as we walk toward or away from them. We have learned that their actual size remains constant, despite the illusion. Even when one is five blocks away from one’s car, and it seems no larger than one’s fingernail, one would interpret it as that it is still one’s car and hasn’t changed size. This learned perception is known as size constancy.

Pygmies, however, who used to live deep in the rain forests of tropical Africa, were not often exposed to wide vistas and distant horizons and therefore did not have sufficient opportunities to learn size constancy. Colin Macmillan Turnbull, an anthropologist and author of The Forest People, wrote about one pygmy who, when removed from his usual environment, was convinced he saw a swarm of insects when he was actually looking at a herd of buffalo at a great distance. When driven toward the animals, he was frightened to see the insects “grow” into buffalo and was sure witchcraft had been responsible.

To summarize, one must have had enough exposure to wide vistas and distant horizons to interpret size constancy. In the same way, to interpret position in space — the learned perception that makes it possible to distinguish a ‘b’ from a ‘d’ — one must have had enough exposure to relevant experiences. Relevant experiences include the ability to distinguish left and right and the ability to cross the midline..

How can Edublox help?

Edublox Online Tutor is an online platform that houses a range of products and services to improve various aspects of learning. Our programs include Development Tutor, Reading Tutor, and Live Tutor. Live Tutor combined with Development Tutor is recommended for students with mild to severe dyslexia and aims at

• strengthening cognitive skills, including position in space;
• teaching decoding, a key skill for learning to read that involves taking apart the sounds in words (segmenting) and blending sounds together; and
• developing orthographic mapping. .

Watch this playlist and experience how Edublox training and tutoring help turn dyslexia around.

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Book a free consultation to discuss your child’s learning needs.
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Dyslexia: symptoms, causes, treatment of the disease

Speech therapist

Bratanova

Olga Aleksandrovna

Experience 31 years

Speech therapist

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Dyslexia is a disorder related to reading skills. Due to problems with certain mental functions that should be involved in the formation of such skills, the child may experience a variety of difficulties when working with text. Most often, it is difficult to recognize individual characters, signs – as a result, the meaning of words, phrases or sentences is not captured or distorted.

The problem manifests itself from childhood and, with proper correction, can be leveled to a level that allows you to live comfortably and study effectively. But if you do not pay attention to it at an early age, it remains in adulthood, causing a lot of inconvenience. At the same time, it is important to understand that dyslexia does not determine the development of the child by itself – he can effectively perceive information through other channels, for example, to understand well by ear.

Why dyslexia occurs – the causes of the disease

The main causes of dyslexia are neurobiological in nature. This is important for understanding, because often, out of ignorance, parents and teachers attribute the difficulties with reading to the “laziness” or “inattention” of the child, only starting the situation. But with such a deviation, certain areas of the brain are less active, and also have a reduced density.

Additional causes of dyslexia (provoking factors) are:

• disorders that affect the balance between the two hemispheres of the brain;
• serious, severe infections affecting the brain – the most common example is meningitis;
• traumatic brain injury;
• complications during childbirth and pregnancy: from infections to fetal asphyxia. During pregnancy, the mother’s bad habits also worsen the situation: smoking, drinking alcohol, as well as drugs.

Social factors also have a serious influence on this deviation. Moreover, they can be absolutely opposite in their orientation. So, the symptoms of dyslexia can manifest themselves from too much study load, and from neglect – a complete disregard for the development of the child. With isolation, lack of communication, not a very good environment, the situation only worsens.

However, we recall that dyslexia is not necessarily a disease of children from dysfunctional families. Due to purely biological reasons, it can manifest itself in children who live in excellent conditions and receive enough attention from adults.

Types of dyslexia

Before describing the specific symptoms of the disease, let’s talk about the types of dyslexia. There are currently six of them.

• Phonemic (acoustic). According to the classification, dyslexia is the most common problem that often occurs in elementary school students. With such a problem, the guys rearrange the syllables, distort the structure of the word – for example, instead of “cat”, they read “current”.
• Agrammatical. Assumes errors in the compilation of constructions, for example, a person may incorrectly use endings, cases, tenses (“white table”, “I’m hungry”).
• Semantic. Every word that a person reads, he understands, but separately from the entire text. And he cannot assemble words into sentences or into other, even more complex constructions – therefore it is impossible to catch the meaning of what was read. For this reason, dyslexia in adults and children does not allow you to get enough information from books.
• Mnestic. This is a problem at the level of individual letters and sounds that do not allow you to learn or understand the whole word.
• Optical. Here deviations occur at the visual level. For example, a dyslexic sees a word backwards (mirror) or cannot keep his eyes on the line that he is reading – his eyes constantly slide over the page, not allowing him to adhere to the desired reading sequence.
• Tactile. Specific dyslexia is characteristic of people who cannot see and use Braille to read. With this deviation, the letters, determined by touch, are either perceived incorrectly (they are confused with similar ones), or “escape” – a person cannot stay on the desired line.

With these types of dyslexia, the symptoms of the disease will be extremely diverse and ambiguous.

Symptoms by age

To detect dyslexia, it is necessary to know the full range of signs characteristic of this disease. And here there are difficulties, because there are a lot of manifestations – moreover, many of them differ in age. Let’s start with the general points, and then talk about what to look for at different ages of the child.

Common symptoms of dyslexia:

• problems with concentration, attention and memory;
• difficulties with orientation in space – for example, when a child confuses right and left, up and down;
• difficulties with simple and more complex tasks: from fulfilling an elementary request to learning the alphabet, multiplication tables;
• changes in the sequence of letters, syllables, numbers when writing, reading information;
• inability to handle pens, pencils, etc. well. If a child needs to write something, he clumsily uses a writing tool;
• unwillingness to read aloud, write, etc. Actions that are very difficult or in which many mistakes are later found cause psychological discomfort in children.

Even some of these signs are a reason to go to the doctor and start dealing with the situation. At the same time, it is very important for parents not to scold the child, not to put pressure on him, forcing him to do what he cannot do. A softer and more balanced approach is needed here.

They take into account not only the forms of dyslexia, but also how the problem manifests itself in dynamics, at different times.

At preschool age, the disease manifests itself as problems in speech, difficulties in learning, pronunciation of different words. The child is often confused, does not remember even a short set of phrases. It is difficult for him to master the basic skills of reading, writing, he confuses words and letters. All this can easily affect the quality of communication with classmates and peers – it gets worse.

At primary school age, problems manifest themselves not only at the level of words and syllables. It is already difficult for a child to memorize facts, he gets confused in arithmetic signs. The state is reflected in the development of new information. Problems of a different nature also continue: behavior becomes awkward, impulsive, coordination of movements is disturbed.

In middle school age, the diagnosis of dyslexia shows poor reading quality, poor memory. The child also reads poorly, pronounces words. Difficulties cause rebellion, so the student refuses to read and write, he has difficulty with gestures, facial expressions, and problems in communicating with peers increase.

At senior school age, there are problems with writing, reading, memorizing, and reproducing information. A slow speed of work is formed, which makes it seem that the teenager is “lazy”. Moreover, the problem extends further – often dyslexics find it difficult to adapt to any changes in life.

Symptoms of dyslexia in adults suggest problems with writing and reading, while distraction and inattention are added. An adult with such a disease often does not know how to plan his time – the quality of life is reduced.

Diagnosis

To diagnose dyslexia, a child is tested with various exercises. The specialist checks the features of long-term and short-term memory, the ability to analyze, the level of concentration, attention, logic, intelligence, etc. An important part of the work is a psychological examination – the symptoms of dyslexia are very diverse and require a personal approach.

Treatment, correction of dyslexia in Moscow

Defectologists, psychoneurologists can make a diagnosis of “dyslexia”. A speech therapist can also refer for an additional examination, to whom parents often turn if they notice problems with speech or reading in a child.

Experts say that no two dyslexics are the same – therefore, the treatment of dyslexia is individual. Often, difficulties remain with a person for life – and then it is important to understand how to improve its quality, how to help a child cope with the main life tasks. In other situations, a fairly high-quality correction is possible. For these purposes, a special speech therapy program is selected. It is based on the type of dyslexia, the age of the person, as well as his personal characteristics.

Medical treatment of dyslexia remains at the moment in question.

Preventive measures

As soon as a child has problems with reading, writing, memorizing and other important functions, you should immediately contact a speech therapist, as well as provide him with a comfortable environment for learning, start using the exercises recommended by the speech therapist.

Educational games, emphasis on visual information in childhood, comprehensive (but not exhausting) attention from adults – all this will be a good prevention of the disease.

Common questions and answers

Is it possible to cure dyslexia completely?

It all depends on the specific situation. Sometimes it is possible to correct the problem to such an extent that it does not affect later life. But it is important to start work on time.

Who treats dyslexia?

We have already partially answered this question about dyslexia, what it is and how to treat it. After the diagnosis and exclusion of other pathologies, the main treatment is carried out by a speech therapist according to a special program.

Is dyslexia always an intellectual problem?

In no case. A child with dyslexia, with the right approach, can not only get a good profession, but also become very successful in it. Suffice it to say that famous people such as Steve Jobs, John Lennon or billionaire Richard Branson were dyslexic.

Dyslexia is by no means a sentence, but a problem that requires careful attention from adults. If they make an effort and devote time to her, the child will have a chance for a good education and a great future.

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what are learning difficulties and why it is important to know about it

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According to statistics, 15-20% of people in the world experience various manifestations of learning difficulties – dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia.

But most children with such disorders are more likely to hear accusations of laziness and stupidity from others. Together with neuropsychologist Natalia Romanova-Afrikantova, we tell you how to recognize dyslexia in a child in time and why not only doctors, but everyone who works with children should know about it.

What are dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia?

These are difficulties in mastering the skills of reading, writing and counting, respectively. Such impairments are considered isolated, that is, they do not affect the general level of intelligence and other skills. They are included in the International Classification of Diseases of the Tenth Revision (ICD-10), which is valid in Russia and most developed countries. Nevertheless, many domestic doctors make these diagnoses extremely rarely.

Most likely, this is due to the fact that both in the USSR and in Russia there was no practice of diagnosing and treating dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia. When a child cannot write, read, count something, he often becomes a defectologist’s patient. He is diagnosed with developmental delay or mental retardation.

Fortunately, now the situation is changing, and more and more people are talking about these violations, they are being actively investigated. Specialists develop various methods of rehabilitation. At the same time, however, two other extremes emerged. On the one hand, there are followers of the Soviet school who deny the existence of dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia and continue to attribute everything to mental retardation. This is a fundamentally wrong position.

On the other hand, supporters of Western approaches use English-language sources in their work. They focus on the complexity of coding and argue that dyslexia is not fully correctable, that dyslexia is forever. But this is not entirely true, and the problem is precisely in the approach. Not everything written about difficulties with reading and writing in English is true for the Russian-speaking sample.

In Russian, coding is much simpler than in English, so we have a complete rehabilitation where it is not even mentioned in the West.

How are these disorders diagnosed?

Already at preschool age, one can understand that something is wrong with the child and there is cause for concern, although the final diagnosis is made at 7–9 years old. That is, when these skills at the basic level should already be formed. It is very important that there are often different reasons behind the difficulties in learning to read and write.

One of the most common is phonemic hearing loss. This means that the child hears loudness, intonation, but does not distinguish between phonemes. That is, “ba-ba”, “pa-pa”, “ma-ma”, for example, sound the same to him, he cannot separate them from each other. In such a situation, it is worth contacting a speech therapist, this is a solvable problem – in most cases, phonemic hearing can be developed.

And here are some other symptoms worth paying attention to:

• Regular replacement of sounds when reading and letters in writing (not random, but instead of one letter there is always a specific other).
• When reading / writing, the child rubs his eyes, complains of a headache.
• Cannot hold a line while reading – jumps between them, reading a word from one, and then immediately from the next one.
• Does not understand the meaning of what is read, cannot name the word just read, does not remember it.
• Changes the endings of words, does not read the word to the end, “guesses” the words.
• Misses letters, syllables and even whole words in writing.
• Experiencing difficulties with orientation in space, the location of the text on the sheet, observing the lines when writing.
• Attempts to read from right to left, mirror spelling of letters after senior preschool age.
• High fatigue due to the process of reading or writing – in just a few minutes the child “runs out of breath”.
• Incorrectly names familiar letters, numbers, signs, shapes.
• He confuses the directions of the arrows, with difficulty operates with the concepts of “right”, “left”, “up”, “down”.
• When reading and writing, he makes “unexpected” mistakes – where the correct spelling usually does not cause any difficulties.
• The child complains that letters or numbers “jump”, “dance”, “run away”, “hide”.

Can this problem be solved?

In most cases, if you turn to competent specialists in a timely manner – neuropsychologists, speech therapists – the problem can be solved. Dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia rarely take total forms, when a person cannot read, write or count anything at all. The situation can always be adjusted to the level to cope with not too big and not too difficult tasks. This is important because fatigue in people with such diagnoses is very severe, sometimes even reaching a headache.

First of all, neuropsychologists find out how well individual functions that are part of complex reading, writing and counting skills work: successive functions, visual perception, hand-eye coordination. Then special exercises are selected that help build neural connections. They are responsible for the work of the disturbed functions.

For example, if the problem is in the vestibular apparatus, eye movements are disturbed and the child cannot keep his eyes on one line while reading. In this case, he will have to exercise. In other cases, children work with cut, inverted letters, learn to distinguish them. Sometimes they perform exercises with balls, tap rhythms.

In rehabilitation, the regularity of classes is much more important than their duration. When it comes to building neural connections, five minutes every day is much better than 40 minutes once a week. Of course, many do not have the opportunity to go to a neuropsychologist or speech therapist every day, so a specialist can simply give a task for a couple of weeks in advance and take a promise from their parents that they will follow its implementation.

This material is part of a large project dedicated to the development of children’s personal potential and key competencies of the 21st century.