Is my daughter dyslexic?

Question

She is 14. She is smart but can't spell or use grammar very well. She can read but not very well out loud. She mixes words and letters up. She doesn't know left from right very well. She has trouble remembering lists and things like time tables and the months of the year. As I said she is quite smart. Dose it sound like she could be dyslexic?

Answer 1

Hi

Sounds very much like she might be dyslexic. Those are very common symptoms of dyslexia.

It sounds like you have looked up dyslexia symptoms online or looked into it a bit. Most people with dyslexia are of average or above average intelligence, but have trouble with reading or writing or both which can make them seem less intelligent than they are. Is her school supportive? To be diagnosed with dyslexia usually requires a test (often done by a psychologist) and in many countries a child in school will need a specific diagnosis in order to tailor a learning program specifically suited to the child. Forcing a child with dyslexia to read things over and over again does not help because the difficulty comes down to lack of phonological awareness. This means that (for some reason) the person with dyslexia is not able to break words down, or understand the sounds that each part of a word makes. This is not their fault, or the fault of a teacher, it's just how it is.

I would say the first step would be to discuss her difficulties with her school. Also, you can go to www.dyslexia.com which has more information about dyslexia, as well as info about a program that can help.

<edit> I would like to say that I disagree with little_emmynem's comment that people with dyslexia are not academically smart - this is not true. People with dyslexia are usually very smart and understand what is going on at school but find it hard to put on paper which means the grades they get in school do not reflect their actual understanding. However, I do agree that dyslexic people are often very good at arts type subjects and I would think it is probable that your daughter is very good at art or drama, home economics (like sewing and cooking) or even woodwork/metalwork. Anything that involves more practical than written work!

Buy the book "The Gift of Dyslexia" by Ron Davis, or borrow it from a library.It will help you understand how your daughter sees the world.

Oh, and as for her brain not being fully developed due to a congenital defect? Well.... there is a theory that dyslexia is caused by the cerebellum not functioning in the same way as for people who are not dyslexic but this in no way means that dyslexic people are "retarded" in any way. You also have to remember that this is just a theory. Again, get a hold of that book and everything will become clear!

Answer 2

She may be. You should contact your doctor and tell him all of her symptoms and how her progress in school is going. You should also discuss this with her teachers and the school staff. There may have some programs that may help her academically. If she is diagnosed I'm certain that her school would provide the extra help she needs.

For an immediate solution at home I would suggest that instead of the usually entertainment such as TV, that you would sit down and read with her for at least an hour per day so you can examine exactly where her difficulties are.

Answer 3

Your daughter sounds as if she is dyslexic.

Being dyslexic does NOT mean we are ILLITERATE or STUPID, dyslexia is caused by our brain misinterpreting numbers, letters and symbols. We do not read backwards, but we do mix up letters such as b's, d's etc. Dyslexia causes problems with reading, writing, spelling and maths.

Dyslexic people have NORMAL INTELLIGENCE, if not have above average IQ, and dyslexics can be very creative. Dyslexics can learn to read and write with support, from parents, teachers and strategies.

The best person to have her tested is a educational psychologist, or a specially trained person in dyslexia. Has the school raised any concerns with you about her problems, if so ask if they can organize for her to be tested, schools usually have funding to pay for this, other wise it may cost you a bit. It might be worth you check the last link for an online test, this is not conclusive, but it will give you an idea, if you should have her tested professionally.

If you want anymore information about how to support her both at home and at school, please contact me, as I have a fairly good resources for supporting students in school, which I used for my daughter and myself, as well as my students.

I learnt to read at the age of 14, failed high school, I was diagnosed as being dyslexic when our daughter was, so I learnt as much as possible about dyslexia, and at the time was very little, so I developed some tips or coping and managing dyslexia. I went back to school to get some qualifications and now use my qualifications to help other dyslexics.

The Australian link shows what a dyslexic see when trying to read, the other links will give your more information about dyslexia, including signs dyslexia.

Answer 4

dyslexic people are usually not smart in academics, but are definitely good in arts or performing arts.

the main problem is that their brain is not fully developed due to congenital defects.

You should handle such kids with love and understanding. They are not good in reading because they find the words jumbling and it appears to them as constantly moving.

Apply for an arts school for your daughter.

yes, she is dyslexic.

many people are dyslexic...............

and watch Taare Zameen Par. (an Indian movie about dyslexic children). You would definitely love your daughter than anyone else if you saw that movie.