General Chat

Anyone have dyslexia or a child with it? 7 yr old William just been diagnosed with severe dyslexia and little love having a hard time.x

OH's grandson is dyslexic...........he had the great good fortune to be sent a school which had a special unit. It made him feel less 'different', and he progressed rapidly. He is now living in France with his wife and children.........completely bi-lingual............... Reg

HI Carol I am dylexic and have always tried to hide till about 6mths when I sought help! Both my sons were diagnosed with it at 7 they got special lessons for about 18mths....then they was ok.... Don't worry... Hayley

I have dyslexia, I was 17 when my mum diagnose it and we got a second opinion straight away. (mam was doing a child care course and one of the lectures included dyslexia and then the penny dropped!). The educational psychologist that formally assesed me said I was moderate to serviar and he couldn't believe that noone had picked it up before but I had learnt to 'hide' the problem so it was ignored for years. My worst subject was always English, it's illogical and not suited to a dyslexic child at all. I took french in school and found it much easier to write. I'm sure the school are obliged to give William extra help to over come his difficulties. He can have special lessons to help him learn and the teachers can use coloured pens instead of black. I had speial lessons in college for my dyslexia but unfortunately they didn't help me, I think I was too old to be helpped really as I was 20 at the time. William is very luckey to have been diagnosed so young, he has a very good chance of catching up with his peers.

NO Luner your never to old.........I'm 30 + ish and I started my english lit class this year and I love it......I have my very first written exam in 2 weeks then I start my GCSE in english in September I can't wait........... Like you I hid it really well even said I couldn't see well because I just could'nt read .................I have perfect eye sight.....

Carol I work in a school with several dyslexic children. Your son should have an IEP {individual education plan} which states what his difficulties are and what areas the school is going to help him with. IEPS are regularly reviewed. We have a teacher who comes in once a week from a special unit to work with 3 children who are especially handicapped by dyslexia. But a lot more is understood about this now and your son's diagnosis is a positive step in getting him the help he needs. nell

Wildchild They went right back to basics with mw and nothing happened, still cant spell any better (except borough and tongue - Laura, my tutor, would be please at those!) from the ages of 16 to 19 I sat my GCSE English twice a year every year and still only got a D (a pass but needed a C for uni) in the end I just said s*d it, the uni's will just have to take it or leave it! I did manage to get level 2 litracy key skills so the uni took that instead. You saying that you use to say you couldn't see reminds me of some of my school teachers, they thought the reason I was slow in class was I couldn't see the board - I too had perfect vision, only reason i had trouble was they used white chalk on blackboards or black pen on whiteboards and all the writing use to dance around the page. - it's doing it as I type but atleast when I post I can edit if I make a typo! lol

wow lunar me too... one of the first test she did with me was the paper one............ on white paper I just read words but was making it up what it said without realising it as soonas she change to colour paper I could read it......I couldn't even spell January or February , can now see... my mum just said I was thick and lazy....and try using a dictionary , had to explane that I couldn't coz I couldn't get the sounds right.....I can now Just...still can't use google it just confuses me but I,m sur I will get there... I enjoy learning so much .. I can't draw a stick man to save my life but I,m really good at maths...

My son has dyslexia - he went for all the usual hospital tests, ie hearing, eye tests etc. and he is slightly deaf in one ear. However, we managed to get him a private teacher (which was pretty expensive) and within 4 years he had an adult reading age. She worked a system of flash cards which had all the vowels and endings on them, he worked through these every day. The one thing the specialist paediatrician said was that it usually passes down the family, ie. from father to son. It may be that someone in your family is also dyslexic. Take hart though, they are usually very good with their hands or in other ways, and it shouldn't hold them back provided they get good help. wish you good luck

Maths and science are my strengths, I loved french and to some degree welsh, Loved art but am hopeless at it and I loved Home economices (neddle work on cookery) and CDT (woodwork, metalwork and plastics. I lothed english as I can't see the point of spelling things one way and writing them another. History was as bad! we spent most lessons writing from the board or books (always black on white) - only bits I enjoyed was watching the films that linked in and doing the arty bits of work - learnt more that way than I did writing. wierd thing is i love to read, but most books seem to be printed on a creamy coloured paper similar to newspapers - it's not a true white so I can read them quite easily.

It is interesting to read of your problems with white paper. My grandson always had a reading age above his actual age during his first few years at primary school. When he reached about year 2 or 3 , we realised that he wasn't progressing so well and reading was not so fluent.It was suggested that the black print on white paper and rows and rows of words may be a problem and my daughter had him checked at an optician, who had an understanding of Irlen Syndrome. Fluency reading tests were given with coloured overlays on top of print. I was there and was amazed at the difference they made. Coloured sheets of acetate were used at school until prescription glasses with coloured lens were ready. Different colours suit different people. There are still many who dismiss this as 'An American Gimmick'... words from an unhelpful optician, ... but I have seen the difference it has made to my grandson and school staff say he is able to complete his work much quicker. ..... As he says, 'The words stay on the same line now' How many more of our underachievers could be helped in this way, I wonder.

I have dyslexia. I have problems reading large bodies of text. I kind of despair when I see one! I need paragraphs to help me! I use an envelope to cover half of it up, which kind of helps, although it doesn't usually work on the computer! Ever noticed how I don't reply to threads where the topic starter doesn't use paragraphs? I cant read them!

thanks all of you for your invaluable help.It has been hard for me to put myself in Williams position because English has always been a good subject for me so it is helpful to hear how it is for all of you. I've listened to all your points and will make sure he gets the help he needs. He too talked of letters jumping around which is what really alerted me. It is in the family although not diagnosed back in the 70's. Many thanks xxx