How Has Dyslexia Affected Your Life?

[TheStatutoryApe]

Zooby suggested that I post a thread in regards to Dyslexia when I mentioned having this problem so here it is...
I've never been diagnosed with dyslexia but am pretty sure that I do have it since I have many of the symptoms generally attributed to the disorder. When I was in Kindergarten I made a Mother's Day plate and wrote my name on it backwards, even the letters, without realizing it. Unfortunatly my teacher didn't catch this and I was never placed in any special learning programs. I have been able to teach myself to function rather well regardless.

The symptoms I exhibit:
- Difficulty distinguishing left from right
- Transposing of letters and numbers
- Difficulty with spelling
- Difficulty with memory
- Difficulty with grammar and sentance structure

Other forms of Dyslexia include:
- Dyscalculia which is characterized by an inordinant difficulty with math.
- Dysgraphia which is characterized by an inordinant difficulty with the act of writing.

I have difficulty with math but am relatively proficient. I've always scored highly when tested. The same with reading proficiency. I have problems with writing occasionally in that I will inadvertantly write a letter or number backwards. None of my difficulties have ever been terribly extreme though and I have been able to learn to get along on my own.

So I'm wondering how many of you have dyslexia, or some version of it, and what your experiences have been like.
Personally I sometimes feel that the manner in which I think due to my dyslexia helps me in some ways, either that or it is the discipline I have gained from having dealt my dyslexia. Perhaps I am simply more conscious of the processes going on inside my head when I cogitate information than someone who has never had to pay that much attention to such things.


By the way here is a site with some more information on Dyslexia... http://www.interdys.org/

 

[Lisa!]

I had no idea what dyslexia is like before your post, I just knew:

Dyslexia: A learning disorder marked by impairment of the ability to rexcognize and comprehend written words.

And I don't think if I understand what it has to do with memory? Is there any cure for that?

 

[Joel]

I also have dyslexia and it sure has affected me, but not the the point where it has gotten the upper hand. In third grade a swedish teacher first guessed I had it, but I refused to believe I had any disadvantage compared to others and also refused further investigation, despite my parrents pressure. Consequently, my essays where full of spelling errors, left out letters and missing words and I developed an aversion towards writing. In other subjects I had not problems thou, I read quite fast and had no problems understanding math, altough I did more + - mistakes and the like. When my graduation from high school was approaching I learned that by having diagnoced dyslexia I could get a computer to write my essays on in my final exams, which was incentive enough for me. On the scaled used in the diagnocis I have rather grave writing difficulties, but non in reading, spatial och vocal tasks. Nowdays I can produce mistakefree text in my mother tongue with the help of spellcheckers, but I still feel a bit unsecure about it, even though I have produced text for professional purpose. Should have tackled it back in third grade.

I don't remember much about my diagnocis (and I'm apparently too lazy to dig it up), but I remember that dyslexia have both cognitive and neurological components and the former can be treated almost entirely with therapy.

And like most good posts here tend to end, Einstein and Da Vinci are belived to have had it too.

 

[Joel]

Personally I sometimes feel that the manner in which I think due to my dyslexia helps me in some ways, either that or it is the discipline I have gained from having dealt my dyslexia. Perhaps I am simply more conscious of the processes going on inside my head when I cogitate information than someone who has never had to pay that much attention to such things.

I recognice this and I've had the exact same thought. I don't know if it's just because I want to think that if I'm worse at something I have to be better at something else, but I do find myself very aware of the steps in my own thoughts. It must have something to do with the countless times I have had to go through my equations and essays.

 

[Lisa!]

Can I add Tom cruise to your list?

 

[Joel]

Can I add Tom cruise to your list?

My list? I don't know, a google search told me he has been cured by scientology... You probably know much more about it than I do.

 

[Lisa!]

No, you're right. I've heard that too, but I meant he was sufferig from dyslexia in a period of his life. Well and I have no idea how scientology could cure someone's dyslexia!

 

[alias25]

i can be a bit dyslexic when i read things to fast and my mind only picks up on a few words and makes up a whole new sentence so I end up answering questions that were not asked. So I've decided to slow myself down.

 

[Joel]

No, you're right. I've heard that too, but I meant he was sufferig from dyslexia in a period of his life. Well and I have no idea how scientology could cure someone's dyslexia!

Me neighter, so he may just as well be faking it.

Anyway, I have also been warned not to confuse ADD and ADHD with dyslexia, altough they sometimes appear in the same person. And non of these should be confused with old fascioned sloppyness.

 

[DrKareem]

I got the charactersitics of dyslexia (some of them) from wikipedia. I'll post them along with self-diagnosis.
General
* Appears to be bright, seemingly highly intelligent, and articulate but unable to read, write, or spell at grade level. (about 8/10 accurate description of me)
* Labelled lazy, dumb, careless, immature, "not trying hard enough," or "behavior problem.", and the like (Although contradicting with the above, but i kind of experience those sometimes)
* Isn't "behind enough" or "bad enough" to be helped in the school setting.(10/10)
* Possibly High in IQ or average or below average, yet may not test well academically; tests well orally, but not written. (9/10)
* Feels dumb; has poor self-esteem; hides or covers up weaknesses with ingenious compensatory strategies; easily frustrated and emotional about school reading or testing. (Yeah, i'd say around 8/10)
* Perhaps talented in either art, drama, music, sports, mechanics, story-telling, sales, business, designing, building, or engineering. (In about 4 of the earlier mentioned, but it's hard enough to find someone not talented in any of those areas.)
* Seems to "Zone out" or daydream often; gets lost easily or loses track of time. (Yessir!)
* Difficulty sustaining attention; seems "hyper" or "daydreamer." (Something like the previous statement, yes)
* Learns best through hands-on experience, demonstrations, experimentation, observation, and visual aids. (Quite yes, but lately I've been able to better understand abstract thoughts)
Vision, reading, and spelling
* Complains of dizziness, headaches or stomach aches while reading. (used to, coped with that though)
* Confused by letters, numbers, words, sequences, or verbal explanations. (Only on special occasions)
* Reading or writing shows repetitions, additions, transpositions, omissions, substitutions, and reversals in letters, numbers and/or words. (Yes, but it doens't happen a lot, since i write rarely, i type most of the time. However i once discovered that i can write bacwards without prior training to it)
* Complains of feeling or seeing non-existent movement while reading, writing, or copying. (Yes, and sometimes while doing other chores.)
* Seems to have difficulty with vision, yet eye exams don't reveal a problem. (Only one some occasions, otherwise i think I'm blessed with a sharp vision)
* Extremely keen sighted and observant, or lacks depth perception and peripheral vision. (That sentece covers all aspects doesn't it? I mean there is no middle ground. I'd go with keen sighted and observant though)
* Reads and rereads with little comprehension. (One many occasions)
* Spells phonetically and inconsistently. (yes, but not a big problem)
Hearing and speech
* Has extended hearing; hears things not said or apparent to others; easily distracted by sounds. (8/10)
* Difficulty putting thoughts into words; speaks in halting phrases; leaves sentences incomplete; stutters under stress; mispronounces long words, or transposes phrases, words, and syllables when speaking. (Oh yeah, i hate myself when i can't verbalize)

Writing and motor skills

* Trouble with writing or copying; pencil grip is unusual; handwriting varies or is illegible. (Only handwriting varies, a lot.)
* Clumsy, uncoordinated, poor at ball or team sports; difficulties with fine and/or gross motor skills and tasks; prone to motion-sickness. (Nope)
* Can be ambidextrous, and often confuses left/right, over/under. (Not often, on some occasions)
Math and time management
* Has difficulty telling time, managing time, learning sequenced information or tasks, or being on time. (I'm very prompt, but i do have some time management probs.)
* Computing math shows dependence on finger counting and other tricks; knows answers, but can't do it on paper. (Previously, I've gone a long way since there though)
* Can count, but has difficulty counting objects and dealing with money. (No, but maybe since i used to count a lot of money for my father)
* Can do arithmetic, but fails word problems; when doing math must see the big picture before the details. (I'm proficient with math, but yes my efficiency increases when i see the big picture)
Memory and cognition
* Excellent long-term memory for experiences, locations, and faces. (Yes to that.)
* Poor memory for sequences, facts and information that have not been experienced. (Yes, also i have a really bad short term memory, and i don't smoke up.)
* Thinks primarily with images and feeling, not sounds or words (little internal dialogue). (Yeah, exactly)
Behavior, health, development and personality
* Extremely disorderly or compulsively orderly. (the latter)
* Can be class clown, trouble-maker, or too quiet. (The first two in my early years, now I'm more like the third one)
* Had unusually early or late developmental stages (talking, crawling, walking, tying shoes). (Don't know about that)
* Prone to ear infections; sensitive to foods, additives, and chemical products. (only addictive)
* Can be an extra deep or light sleeper; bedwetting beyond appropriate age. (Well, I'm a light sleeper, don't know about bedwetting though)
* Unusually high or low tolerance for pain. (High pain tolerance)
* Strong sense of justice; emotionally sensitive; strives for perfection. (3/3)
____________________________________________________________
I'm a bit worried there. I've always felt it difficult to learn new material, but i always thought it was due to some psychological problem. DO you think i should have a diagnosis and see whether i have dyslexia or not? because it seems i have a big chunk of those symptoms.

 

[hypatia]

I was in 5th grade when I knew there was something wrong with me. Numbers, shapes and words changed constantly for me. I worked twice as hard, yet still lagged behind the rest of the class. I really thought I was stupid, and so did most of my teachers.
I think I was in 10th grade when a teacher passed out a sheet, with all the words written, not only backwards, but in columns. Then asked the class what it said, I stood and read the entire thing out loud, without batting a eye. It seems I had trained myself to understand words, no matter how they were presented.
That one teacher, changed my life. He saw that I had dyslexia and had me tested. Then I got the extra help I needed, like test taken orally, and extra time with math. By the end of 12th grade I was a all A student.
It still can catch me by surprise, even as a adult{even on these forums}, I've been made to feel bad because my spelling and grammer is not very good.
It bothers me to some degree, but I know in my life, I have been a great success, in all that I have attempted to do. And to the people who know, and love me..it dosen't matter.