Debunking Deceptions Behind Dyslexia

195 countries in the world, all with diverse beliefs about learning disabilities like dyslexia.

Special reading/writing tutors, personal aids, extra lessons, trouble understanding, and a lifetime of embarrassment and frustration are all the norm for kids with dyslexia. At least that’s what it was like for one of Hollywood's leading men and winner of multiple Golden Globes, Tom Cruise, who was diagnosed with the disorder at the age of 7.

Tom Cruise is not the only successful person with dyslexia. Disney star Bella Thorne, Nobel Prize winner Albert Einstein, and the creator of the Disney Empire Walt Disney are some more people who have overcome dyslexia. All these people serve to show that kids with dyslexia can still fulfill their ambitions and goals.

However, success stories like this feed into many misconceptions about dyslexia. According to Dr. Greg Pienaar, some common theories concocted by resistant parents are:

• Only lazy kids have dyslexia and they would be able to stop mixing things up if they tried to concentrate and focus harder

• Dyslexia can be outgrown and kids can be disciplined to read and write better

• Intelligent and successful people cannot actually have dyslexia and it is fake

Jennifer White, Martha Youman, and Nancy Mather focus on the differences between cultural bias and dyslexia in Volume 25, Number 1 of Learning Disabilities: A Multidisciplinary Journal. Although dyslexia has a large online presence now and much more awareness is being spread around the world through the International Dyslexia Association (IDA), it hasn’t always been this way, so different cultures have differing opinions on the matter.

Depending on where they were raised, parents receive certain amounts of exposure to awareness of learning disabilities like dyslexia. Due to this, their culture plays a huge role on whether they are accepting of their child's diagnosis. Some cultures believe that dyslexia doesn’t exist and kids can be disciplined to grow out of their learning struggles.

Although there are varying beliefs and cultural interpretations about dyslexia, it is one of the most common learning disorders in kids around the world:

Some important info + stats

There are a lot of symptoms that could hint at dyslexia:

• Difficulty with rhyming words and recognizing letters and names

• Trouble putting items in sequential order and often using the reverse order

• Avoidance towards tasks which involve reading and slower reading

• Hard time with reading comprehension

• Lack of accuracy in pronouncing or spelling new words

However, these symptoms are also shared with a lot of other learning disabilities so a proper diagnosis requires an evaluation which consists of two parts. The first part is an educational assessment which tests reading and writing abilities and timing. The second part consists of neurological eye and ear tests. After this evaluation a psychologist will recommend the best treatment for the child.

Some educational techniques used to treat dyslexia involve using hearing, vision, and touch to improve skills. Some examples of this are listening to recorded lessons and tracing letter shapes with fingers to process it inside the brain. This is why most dyslexia kids grow up to be visual and hands-on learners. Kids may also benefit from tutoring lessons with a reading specialist and individual education plans unique to the child.

Beyond these forms of treatment, there are a lot of things that can be done in a child’s home to improve their dyslexia:

These cultural interpretations may propose dilemmas to me as a pediatrician since parents may not accept my concerns. I would approach this predicament by showing the parents the advancements their country has made on dyslexia awareness and treatment in order to show them that the facts they were taught growing up are no longer accurate.

I hope this helps you understand why dyslexia is real and how to help people struggling with it. If you believe you or anyone you know are displaying symptoms, make sure to visit a doctor and get a proper evaluation. Remember, dyslexia has nothing to do with intelligence, and it certainly is not a barrier to being successful!

Till next time,

Nancy

Works Cited

“(PDF) Dyslexia Around the World: A Snapshot.” ResearchGate, www.researchgate.net/publication/338910143_Dyslexia_Around_the_World_A_Snapshot.

“Debunking the Myths about Dyslexia.” Dyslexia Help at the University of Michigan, dyslexiahelp.umich.edu/parents/learn-about-dyslexia/what-is-dyslexia/debunking-common-myths-about-dyslexia.

“Dyslexia.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 22 July 2017, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dyslexia/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353557.

Pienaar, Dr Greg.“Dyslexia: Myths vs Facts Parents Need to Know.” Sedibeng Ster, 12 May 2021, sedibengster.com/42689/dyslexia-myths-vs-facts-parents-need-to-know/.

Solutions, Best Kids. “How To Help A Child With Dyslexia At Home.” YouTube, uploaded by Best Kids Solutions, 22 May 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=zveKrrEYgSA&feature=youtu.be.

Stanborough, Rebecca Mfa Joy. “Understanding Dyslexia in Kids.” Healthline, 17 Sept. 2019, www.healthline.com/health/childrens-health/dyslexia-in-kids.

**cover art by Gary Waters(Getty Images) ~ TIME Magazine