I am still learning and struggling with the fact that my child probably has a form of Dyslexia. I am learning how to help her and give her the tools she needs in order learn. In the last 6 weeks, I have talked to many people and have done a lot of research. I thought I would create an avenue or outlet for other parents that are learning or struggling with teaching children with Dyslexia or as I like to call it the "Dys-ies". A place to post tips, advice or lessons learned in order to share and help our children with learning. A friend once told me we were "advocates for our children" and I now embrace that fact instead of apologizing for it. For the purposes of security I have changed her name in this blog to Cindy. As I am not a very "techie" person, I apolgize in advance for any mistakes ;-)
It was the little things in the beginning that just didn't make sense.... You know, that intuition that Moms have that there is something going on with your child. Something wasn't adding up. Why was my 7 year old still having problems with reading, simple math, handwriting even though she is very smart? How come she can read a word like "anticipated" quickly and easily and then struggle with the next word "that"? Why is she still writing words like they sound not as she has been repeatedly taught? Why is she saying she is "dumb" when she has the vocabulary of a 12 year old? Am I just neurotic, over protective and just need to chill out?
These questions and many more have plagued me since
Cindy was in Kindergarten. She is an only child and has always attended private pre-school and a private school with a well-rounded, excelled curriculum. Her parents, family and our friends are all educated. It was puzzling to me that none of my friends children were continuing to have the same difficulties year after year.
She was always a very focused child, no Hdhd or hyperactivity. Somewhat shy but very outgoing when she was comfortable with someone and her close friends. It wasn't until one of her classmates was diagnosed that I started to learn more about it. I am a big "Googler" and read several things and that is when things started to make sense. I have had several "Ah Ha" moments in the last 5 weeks and this blog is about my journey.
I am one of those people that has always loved to read, I learned before I hit kindergarten. School came pretty easy for me with little effort. I have had several successful careers and have run my own business for the last 13 years. I learn pretty quickly,(of course as I get older, my memory isn't always the best) Like many people I was under the misconception that people with dyslexia just reversed numbers or letters.
For the last 3 years, when I posed any of my concerns or questions to her teachers and other parents, I always got the standard answers: kids learn at their own pace, it will click, all kids at this age do this,etc.
All most inevitably, I would hear the advice to read to your child every night. Are you kidding me? Books were in my her crib, they are every where in my house and just as common as toys to her. We go to the library regularly to check out tons of books, she sees me read for enjoyment, even her grandmother is in a book club. I or my husband have read to her every chance we get and reading to her as part of her bedtime routine is required by her, not .
Now at least I have a name to put to the problem and some answers to the questions. Like anything there are as many labels under the "Dyslexia" umbrella as there is in any "diagnosis". I call them the
"Dys-ies". There is
Dyscalculia Dysgraphia ,
Dyspraxia just to name a few. It is a smorgasbord of symptoms and difficulties and a child may have some or all. More later....
