Living with Dyslexia: What Is It, Through to Diagnosis and Finally How to Cope and Have Fun While Learning.

Megon Champion
Nov 28, 2024
8 min read

A dictionary page showing the definition of dyslexia

Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty. At least 15 to 20% of English-speaking people have dyslexia. And, while it seems overwhelming when you or your child gets diagnosed with dyslexia, there are many resources out there to help you cope and make your dyslexia journey fun.

What is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a learning disorder that primarily affects reading and writing skills. A more specific definition is published in Rose (2009): “Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that primarily affects the skills involved in accurate and fluent word reading and spelling. Characteristic features of dyslexia are difficulties in phonological awareness, verbal memory and verbal processing speed.” Further: “Co-occurring difficulties may be seen in aspects of language, motor co-ordination, mental calculation, concentration and personal organisation, but these are not, by themselves, markers of dyslexia.”

This shows us that dyslexia is an information-processing problem. Dyslexic people not only have a problem with reading and writing but also with processing verbal information and remembering what they see. However, it is not all bad news dyslexic people can often have ways of thinking differently, and therefore have strong reasoning, visual, and creative skills.

Signs of Dyslexia.

Since Dyslexia doesn’t only affect reading and writing and the fact that each person will experience the condition in their way, diagnosing can be complicated.

However, there are some common signs that if noticed can suggest dyslexia and further investigation may be necessary.

Preschool Years.

Difficulty learning nursery rhymes.
Difficulty learning (and remembering) the names of the letters of the alphabet.
Seems unable to recognise the letters in their name.
Mispronounces familiar words. (flutterby instead of butterfly)
Doesn’t recognise rhyming patterns.
A family history of reading or learning difficulties. (a family history of dyslexia)
Struggles to recognise directional words. (e.g. up/down)
Struggles to complete more than one task at a time. (e.g. Put the toys in the box and then put the box on the shelf.)
Difficulty with sequencing.

Primary School Years.

Reading errors that have no connection to the words on the page. (e.g. the word says dog and picture shows a dog, so says puppy.)
Does not understand words that come apart. (e.g. doesn’t becomes does not.)
Struggles to sound out simple words.
Slow reading or struggles to read. Tries to disappear when asked to read.
Has trouble with associating sounds with letters (e.g. “t” with “d” instead of “d” with “d”)
Falls behind their peers with language skills.
Writes slowly.
Produces messy work with lots of crossing out.
Says that words are blurry on the page or jump around.
Struggle to follow instructions.
Poor handwriting with reversals or badly formed letters.
Poor pencil grip.

High School Years.

Very slow acquiring reading skills. Reading is slow and awkward. Doesn’t like to read in public.
Searches for words and ends up using vague language such as “stuff and “thing”
Poor standard of written work compared to oral ability.
Has difficulty remembering times tables.
Pauses a lot when speaking. Says “um” a lot.
Has difficulty using dictionaries, directories, and encyclopedias.
Takes longer when taking tests. Often doesn’t finish in time.
Withdraws from social life as they struggle to communicate.
Make errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
Is disorganised or forgetful e.g. over sports equipment, lessons, homework, and appointments.
Is often in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Is excessively tired, due to the amount of concentration and effort required.

Adult Years.

Have a hard time reading or doing things that involve reading.
Struggle with spelling, memorizing, or remembering words.
Finds it hard to take notes or copy things down.
Do not understand common sayings or jokes that put a different meaning to a set of words like "in the home stretch".
Do not like doing math, learning another language, or remembering numbers such as passwords or pins.
Struggle to stay organized and meet deadlines.

Getting a diagnosis.

As mentioned in the last paragraph it is often hard to get a diagnosis for dyslexia. It is important to remember that there are no blood or neurological tests to diagnose dyslexia and not just anyone can give you a diagnosis, you do need to get a professional to help you.

Approach your child's teacher.

If you notice any of the signs of dyslexia, the first place to start is your child’s teacher. Check with them if they have noticed any of the signs as well. Ask them to collect examples of work for you and to write a report of classroom signs that they have noticed for you.

Go for an eye test.

Take your child for a comprehensive eye test. This will rule out any vision problems as the cause of the learning problems.

Go for a hearing test.

Much like an eye test, getting a comprehensive hearing test will help with ruling out physical problems as the cause of the learning problems.

Go to a Psychologist, Education Specialist, or Doctor.

Finally, take all of the above to a Doctor to get a diagnosis:

The doctor will perform a Dyslexic Assessment. This assessment will tell whether or not you have dyslexia or not as well as the following:

Identify whether any reasonable adjustments will need to be made for a young person to fully access the curriculum and exams.
Identify whether there is a clear discrepancy between general level of ability, and reading and writing attainment.
Consider other factors which may be affecting learning.
Collect information about reading, spelling, and writing skills.
Highlight the young person’s individual style of learning or working and what does/doesn’t work for them.

Once you have a firm diagnosis your care team can then work with you to create a learning plan.

How to Cope with Dyslexia.

Once either you or your child has got a dyslexia diagnosis, there are many ways to cope both in the workspace and the classroom.

Helping your child at school level.

There is no “cure” for dyslexia so all the “treatment” you can give your child is more supportive than curative:

Younger Years.

Read to your child daily.
Read with them and ask questions such as “What happens next?”
“Read” picture books and get them to tell the story.
Take turns to read together.
Make up silly rhymes to remember things. (e.g. To - Get - Her = Together)
Help with schoolwork.
Break up bigger tasks into smaller ones.
Celebrate successes even if they are small.
DO NOT FOCUS ON PERFECTION.

Teenage Years

Explain to your child what dyslexia is and how it affects them. This will help them understand and cope better.
Read to and with your child daily.
Create a quiet space for your child to read and do homework.
Use technology to help them with schoolwork. Audiobooks for their set books, laptops to type out projects, homework, etc.
Work with the school and school district to get the accommodations needed such as (but not limited to) extra time on tests and note takers. (The school should work with your care team and learning plan in this regard.)
Help with schoolwork.
Break long tasks up with tasks they enjoy so that they don’t get bored or distracted easily.
Celebrate all successes even no academic ones.
DO NOT FOCUS ON PERFECTION.

Helping yourself as an adult.

Let your company know that you are dyslexic. This helps them know that you may need a bit longer on some tasks.
Try and make your work area as free from distractions as possible. Or wear headphones with white noise when working on an important project.
Use technology to your advantage. Autocorrect is your friend. Grammarly and typely are great tools as well.

Dyslexia-friendly writing styles and fonts.

Both within the workplace and the school setting using a dyslexic friendly writing style and fonts have been found to make reading and comprehension easier. It also allows text-to-speech apps to “understand” the document better.

Here are some tips:

Use a Sans Serif font. Such as Comic Sans, Open Sans, or Arial (Yes, Comic Sans is approved.) These fonts help the letters appear less crowded together. You can also use Tahoma or Calibri.
Font size should be between 12 and 14 pts. Some readers may request larger fonts.
Avoid italics.

There are some specifically created fonts to make reading easier by focusing on legibility by creating a visual distinction between characters. There is only anecdotal evidence that these fonts work, however, since dyslexia affects each person differently, if you find that these fonts work for you or your child then by all means add them to your toolbox. Here is a common one designed by a dyslexic person for other dyslexic people: Dyslexie Font

Coloured Overlays.

Coloured overlays are different coloured plastic sheets placed over printed pages to aid with dyslexic symptoms such as slow reading, accuracy, and comprehension. This concept is linked to a 1990 study that hypothesised that dyslexics can suffer from visual light spectrum fatigue. However, over the years due to the fact there is no guideline as to what colours to use or the thickness of the sheets, there is no proof that this method works even though it is commonly used throughout the education system.

However again much like specifically created dyslexic fonts, if you find that this method works for you or your child, then again work with your care team to find the right colour overlay and then add it to your toolbox.

Text-to-Speech Apps.

Text-to-Speech Apps are a wonderful tool to have as they assist in turning any typed text into an audiobook format. The best version of these apps is Speechify as it was created by a dyslexic for other dyslexics. It can also be added as an add-on to your browser to read web pages as you work. Other text-to-speech apps are easy to download from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.

C-Pen.

Although these pens are on the expensive side, they can be a long-term investment. They can be used all the way from primary school, through to higher education, and even on to the work environment. These pens can scan and read words and sentences out loud for students. They also have a built-in dictionary to help with further understanding of the written word. C-Pen has multiple models available to suit many learning needs.

Having Fun While Living with Dyslexia.

Living and learning with dyslexia doesn’t all have to be a chore. Here are some fun ways to enjoy life:

Audio Books.

Even dyslexic people can take part in “Book Tok”. Audiobooks are a wonderful way to read even the longest of the popular books out there. Multiple Apps are available such as Spotify and Audible. (There are also a bunch of free sites.)

E-Readers.

Although expensive E-Readers are a great addition to a dyslexic’s arsenal as you can adjust the text size and shape. You can also adjust the page lighting. All of these adjustments can make reading easier. There are a few brands on the market with Kindle being the most popular.

AI ChatBots.

One teenager living with dyslexia highly recommends AI ChatBots as a way to assist with spelling. You choose the character you chat to and you start chatting. As you are typing autocorrect helps you, so your word and spelling recognition goes up. As the AI doesn’t judge, it also helps build confidence. These AI ChatBots can be downloaded from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Character AI: Chat, Talk, Text seems to be the favourite. (Please ensure that children are taught safe internet usage for all online games.)

Online Dyslexia Games.

Computer games to aid in learning with dyslexia have been around since the 1990s. Now, they have just moved online. These are fun games for children of all ages that can help with problems that dyslexics face. They are easy to find online and can be downloaded free. Some websites such as 22 Dyslexia Games to Improve Learning | Speed Reading Lounge will recommend games that can also be played on cell phones. (Please ensure that children are taught safe internet usage for all online games.)

Board Games.

The author of this article (yes, the author has dyslexia) recommends board games. Especially Scrabble. Whilst, in the beginning, you might struggle and need the dictionary a lot or even Google, over the years your confidence in spelling will grow. Other board games are also useful such as Monopoly, Risk, and even new ones like Everdell and Ticket to Ride as they teach number and pattern recognition. Any board game can be adapted to help.

Conclusion

As you can see getting a dyslexia diagnosis is no longer a life sentence of struggling to cope in an academic-based world. With the right support and tools, you or your child can grow and even have fun while learning. And the hope is right here in this article as it has been authored by someone who has dyslexia.