Understanding what dyslexics go through emotionally...

Dyslexic people are not abnormal. They just have a different way of seeing things. They see words as pictures, not individual letters. They'll mistake the letter 'b' as letter 'p', or that they see the number '3' as the letter 'E'. But it isn't reason enough to treat them as if they are stupid.

Dyslexics have inherent talents that standard people can never have. They are more attentive to the details of pictures and are more observant of the odd way a certain thing is placed.

If only schools for dyslexics in the Philippines exist, then it would have created an effective camaraderie between the dyslexic kids. But dyslexia has different levels. Some are good in letters, but flunk in math, while others are good in math but couldn't bring himself to read. And so, to open a school for them requires a lot of studies and research. And so, the only thing a parent could do is to hire a teacher who specializes in dyslexia which is very expensive with every session, and homeschool the child so that other kids will not taunt him and he will not have anyone to compare himself with.

Children with dyslexia will always be at stake of having low self esteem, since a lot of people are unaware of dyslexia and dyslexia tests in our country.

I knew someone who after finding out that the kid I knew couldn't read yet at 6, she implied that he was slow. At that time I already knew what the kid was going through in school, he had been frantic and upset everytime people mentioned school to him.  So I told her that the boy was not slow, he was dyslexic, and she asked me what that meant.

Judgmental people are exasperating. It was then that I realized that the boy must have been going through a lot of emotional turmoil. As a result of this, he began to have self doubts, and even in the areas he was good at, began to get affected.

It is unfair, but I couldn't change the opinion of others. Yet, there is a way for me to change the boy's plight, and that is to study about Dyslexia. And I am glad I did, it's like I was able to enter into a different world that only few people bothered to know about. It was fascinating!


 "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” - Plato

(illustration credit source)

Early Signs That Your Child Could Possibly Be Dyslexic

Talking to kids is fun, especially when they can't pronounce the words right and their words sounded like a totally different thing. I always love talking to this kid. He would say things like "Pirates of the Careeteebeeyuhn" instead of "Pirates of the Carribean", Or instead of 'Makati', he'd say 'Kamati'... and I laughed everytime I heard him say those words, thinking to myself that he was so cute and adorable that way. I didn't know then that he was already exhibiting signs of dyslexia, and it never occurred to any of us that we should have him take dyslexia tests. 

Anyhow, I found these helpful tips on how to know the signs that your child needs to take dyslexia tests.

If three or more of these warning signs exist, your child should be tested for dyslexia when the child becomes five years old. Also, phonemic awareness games and other reading readiness activities should be done daily during the preschool years:

1) If you think he is delayed in his speech (not speaking any words at the child's first birthday. They often don't talk until they are two, two and a half, three, or even older.)

2) He mixes up sounds in multi-syllabic words (ex: aminal for animal, bisghetti for spaghetti, hekalopter for helicopter, hangaberg for hamburger, mazageen for magazine, etc.)

3) Early stuttering or cluttering 

4) Lots of ear infections

5) Can't master tying shoes

6) Confusion over left versus right, over versus under, before versus after, and other directionality words and concepts

7) Late to establish a dominant hand

8) May switch from right hand to left hand while coloring, writing, or doing any other task. Eventually, the child will usually establish a preferred hand, but it may not be until they are 7 or 8. Even then, they may use one hand for writing, but the other hand for sports.

9) Inability to correctly complete phonemic 
awareness task

10)  Despite listening to stories that contain lots of rhyming words, such as Dr. Seuss, cannot tell you words that rhyme with cat or seat by the age of four-and-a-half 

11) difficulty learning the names of the letters or sounds in the alphabet; difficulty writing the alphabet in order

12) Trouble correctly articulating R's and L's as well as M's and N's. They often have "immature" speech. They may still be saying "wed and gween" instead of "red and green" in second or third grade. 

Remember, if your child exhibited 3 or more of these signs, take the initiative to let him take a dyslexia test so that you could take the early precautions and not expose your child to wonder why he is different from other kids, and why he couldn't be as 'good' as the others in intellect. Believe me, this will give the child a very low self esteem. So be vigilant because it is better to meet the cure early on to avoid further problems to the child's emotional well being.

The Dyslexia Test and Trials

For me, dyslexia never entered my mind as one of those things I will ever concern myself with. I never knew anyone personally who had this kind of condition, so I was not at all interested in the topic.

But all these changed when a kid I knew was diagnosed to have the  symptoms.
All along I thought he was just delayed in his speech and that it was normal.
But soon, we grew worried.

At 5, he still couldn't talk. And at the age of 8, he still couldn't read.
His belief in himself crashed down, and his self esteem started to deteriorate as his classmates graduated in Kinder and Preparatory with flying colors and an ability to read.

I couldn't forget the day he graduated from class (he managed to graduate through intensive therapy and intensive training at home and at school)... he had no honorable mention, and he cried at the stage for having received no medals. I myself couldn't understand why it was so. His teachers had branded him as stupid, and the other children looked at him quizzically as if he was a total idiot.

So if you suspect something not ordinary in your child's behavior and learning progress, take some precautions and have them tested to see if the child has Dyslexia symptoms.

The dyslexia test will be conducted by specialists and will give you pointers on how to adapt to this special learning program (yes, there is a different method to teach kids who are dyslexic!).

Tests are somewhat expensive, but if it is all worth your child's self esteem and understanding of oneself, why not give him your full support?

To treat dyslexia early on and having him have dyslexia tests if you have suspected he is exhibiting some symptoms is a gift you can give to the child, his self confidence, and attitude towards life.