Dyslexia: Separating Fact and Fiction

What is Dyslexia? This is a question a lot of people could ask. Some people know in depth what it is. Others think they know, but they are completely wrong. Many people think that Dyslexia is just a symptom that you can grow out of. But no! Dyslexia is more complex than that.

According to understood.org, “Dyslexia occurs in children with normal vision and intelligence symptoms, including late talking, learning new words slowly, and a delay in learning to read.” 

Dyslexia is a common disability to many people worldwide But the range can be large, going from slight symptoms to stronger ones. Usually, Dyslexia is genetic. So for example, if your parents have Dyslexia, there is a very likely chance that you will have it too. But sometimes, it can also skip some generations. For instance, your grandmother could have it but not your mother, and then suddenly you have it.    

I was diagnosed with Dyslexia at a young age (6). I have struggled for most of my life. For example, when I was a young child, my teachers told my parents that I was too lazy or not motivated to work. Later on, I met a speech therapist who was life-changing. At the age of 11, I went to two schools per day. One in the morning that specialized in Dyslexia, one in the afternoon for all the rest of the knowledge. My main school was the International School of Geneva, and the second one was Oak Hill, a school for kids with dyslexia or attention deficit disorders.

Oak Hill is a school for kids that struggle in maths, reading, and writing. The kids mostly stay up to 2 years in Oak Hill. The combination of these two schools and much resilience lead me to who I am today. 

My main school was the International School of Geneva, and the second one was Oak Hill, a school for kids with dyslexia or attention deficit disorders.

Many people I have talked to say that Dyslexia is just a simple symptom that you can get rid of. Sadly no. Dyslexia is something that you can absolutely not get rid of. However, there are lots of methods to try and diminish Dyslexia. Dyslexia can be overcome; a lot of famous people are or were dyslexic. For example, Tom Cruise, Walt Disney, and even Leonardo da Vinci.

It has been shown that Dyslexic people tend to be more creative. According to understood.org, “Research has shown that people with dyslexia do have differences in brain wiring compared to others. But do those differences make them more creative?” Research has not proven this link, however, experts are looking into this subject.

Lastly, Dyslexia is not very simple. It has lots of complications. And it is definitely not something that you can judge. If anyone has Dyslexia, do not judge them, you have no idea what they could have gone through because of it. Many people have gone into depression because others tell them that they are stupid and incapable. But it's not true that any dyslexic person is as capable as a person without a disability. Don't judge a book by its cover and don't ever judge/treat a person differently.

If you want to learn more about Dyslexia go to understood.org