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They read backwards, write backwards, live in a topsy turvy world and are apparently stupid! This is a common misconception. They don't live in the topsy turvy world, we do. In fact, Dyslexics are highly intelligent people who are simply unable to express their intelligence in the written form.
My son is nine years old; he has always been bright, charming and well behaved. He is above average in maths, but a bit behind in literacy. Oh well, I thought, most of us are good at one or the other, we can't have it all. However the "little bit behind" in literacy turned into rather a lot behind.
My son had a terrible problem with concentration. I did not know that this had anything to do with Dyslexia at the time.
I always thought naively that Dyslexia meant that you couldn't read and you wrote letters the wrong way around. The school suggested I took him to the GP as his concentration was a big issue.
Maybe there is nothing wrong with him...
Off we went, the GP thought he would grow out of it and that he was being a typical boy, but referred him for sight and hearing tests and a brain scan (EEG). Everything came back normal so the teachers and I met up again.
They said, Maybe there is nothing wrong with him, hes just not going to be the academic type. I translated this to mean they thought that he was dozy! So we left it at that and I thought, well son, you may be no lawyer or doctor, but whatever you decide you want to be, Im with you all the way.
School life was hard for my son and literacy was becoming a living hell. I went back to see his teachers and was told that there were now more serious issues. However, the government say that he is not entitled to any help until he is significantly suffering in all subjects.
I could not believe what I was hearing; I reiterated it to make sure. "So basically" I said, "We can't prevent a problem that we know is coming, we have to wait for him to get significantly worse and struggle?" "Yes" she replied.
At the end of the academic year he had slipped in all subjects and was struggling. They told me that they thought he had Dyslexia, but as it was the end of term, help would have to wait until the new academic year.
At the start of year five I met his newly qualified teacher who knew nothing of my sons problems and informed me there was no longer any funding available in our area due to Government cut backs. The Government have also recently issued a report stating that children suffering with Dyslexia usually go on to have low self esteem and are at a high risk of behavioural disorders and their associated downfalls.
The only help I can get is privately. It will cost £390 to get him assessed, £50 to interview him then £600 a term to see him for a few hours on a Saturday to help him. It is going to be a tremendous struggle both financially and for my son, but I will do whatever is required to help him.
How on earth will lower income families be able to do this? I find it incredible that the Government can tell us on one hand that our children will become unruly and likely to offend, whilst at the same time cut the very funding that is designed to help. Now you can see I hope that the topsy turvy world is ours, not the children who suffer from Dyslexia.
By: Rays
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I'd just like to say how interesting it was to read your story,
My son has been dropped in classes due to supposidly having dyslexia however the senco at his school are very good and so far. and even though he will not always get additional help they had recommended doing the toe by toe book and using a reading ruler which I much addmit has work to a dgree as he went up a reading level just before the 6 week holidays however I have noticed ..he refuses to play football and his self esteem since the holidays seem to have dropped drematically .... I know alot of it is about building their esteem up.... but I am thinking about home tutoring him also .........somthing I found very interesting is dsylexic children will spell simple words in welsh ie in english penguin is spelt like penguin but in welsh it is spelt pengwin the same way a dyslexic child would spell it
Late for this forum but I am a mother of a dyslexic and the idea is to give them all the support they need to live equally with their peers. A spelling calculator in the pencil case. A parent to reread all work. Situations where they don't feel a fool reading out aloud. A willingness to be patient when in tiredness they reverse the spoken word. Skills to learn left and right using their hands. Luckily, I am a teacher but my child managed to get through Primary School, Secondary School and University ,and now two post -grad courses with only a wonderful neuro-psychologist ever picking it up at 24 years of age. Of course, I waited every year for a teacher to tell me but no-one ever did(four schools). I picked it up with children in my class how come no other teacher can?
Spelling is memory as is reading. Use constant reinforcement and encourage your child all the time. Story writing is modelling so show them how to model a story on another. Many tears later and at 26 my child(married), knows that it may be inherited but knows exactly what to do and knows that dylexia can never stop your dreams.
I feel sorry for parents who haven't my background but I am now writing computer flash activities for children with similar problems in my grade so they can enjoy repeating words until reversals diminish and disappear. It takes time but the result is worth every minute.
Good luck.
If this is no good, try ringing Stanbridge Earls School in Romsey, Hampshire. My daughter went there for a few years, funded by our LEA, and they specialise in dyslexia, although my daughter did not suffer from that but other SPLDs. They should be able to give you the names of some experts.
If and when you have a specific diagnosis, you can then use this to beat your LEA over the head with to get the longwinded and very difficult process started on the road to a Statement of Special Educational Needs, something which is as rare as hen's teeth but vital if your children do have a SPLD such as dyslexia.
So my sympathies to all parents struggling the same way.
It is possible to achieve this through hard work and dedication - it took us about 5 years - but of course it was all-consuming and very, very costly. We have never regretted it, but it wouldn't be for everybody. We were lucky enough to be both self-employed working from home, which helped, but it was hard, especially for our daughter.
Anyway,
I can only sympathise with the original poster,getting help these days is useless,, unless you pay. Schools don't WANT to help,all they do is blame the parent.
I have been there,done that,,where does it get me,, NO WHERE. Bloody red tape.
The only thing I would add to Bob's comment is that it may be worth checking if there is a Parent Partnership group in your area. They provide advice and support for families during the statementing process, and have a very good reputation among parents.
www.parentpartnership.org.uk
Keep fighting!
As usual it's all down to money.The local Education authority is reticent to register children for any disability because it will cost them money which they will legally have to make available.You should not have to pay a penny.
In my area SE Kent, this sort of condition is tested for quite early and appropriate help given in class.This should be to the benefit of the school as it helps with their results.In the school I work in, we are all trained in recognising and working with dyslexic children and just because they have difficulty reading and writing doesn't mean they cannot excell in school,just the opposite.Keep on pushing Rays
joe