Kids With Dyslexia Are Still Kids: How To Help Them Cope

Probably one of the biggest challenges kids withand that is because they are. In some instances
dyslexia face isn't actually reading or writing. Kids withchildren who have been diagnosed as having dyslexia
dyslexia often feel isolated, discouraged and alone.are put into "special education" classes which do not
Imagine wanting something so badly in your life and nomeet their needs and further alienate and frustrate
matter how hard you work for it, you can't get it.them.
What's worse is that no one else seems to be able toPeople who have made it through their scholastic
help you.career refer to dyslexia as a "gift." That might not be
Kids with dyslexia do not have lower IQs than kidsas trite a concept as it appears; kids with dyslexia who
without it. To think otherwise is a falsehood. A child canmanage to make adjustments to the way they learn
have above average intelligence but still fall short of(through help or on their own) often excel in life. Some
their expected reading, writing or math level. A kid witheven thrive. Notable people who have or had dyslexia
dyslexia could be a straight "A" student in everyof one sort or another are Tom Cruise, Gen. George
subject but still be reading on level two or three gradesPatton and inventor Thomas Edison. Edison was
below where they actually are. This doesn't makeactually thrown out of school and thought to be stupid
them stupid or even mean they have a learningby his teachers. We can all be thankful that his mother
disability; their other scores do not reflect that at all.saw her son's brilliance and continued to encourage
What it means is that they have a unique challengehim.
that needs to be overcome.Encouragement and how to give that encouragement
It has been noted by psychologists that kids withare huge factors in the equation of success for these
dyslexia often exhibit negative behavior. There arekids. It has been estimated that as many as 1 of every
often issues with anger and an anti-establishment5 school-age children have dyslexia in one form or
attitude. In a way, for a child who has undiagnosedanother and in varying degrees. In a startling statistic
dyslexia, it is justified. The establishment has let themreleased in 2007 it was stated that 27% of children
down in their minds—why should they live up towith learning disabilities drop out of school or never
those standards? What is the payoff for them?complete their high school education. We can do better
Kids with dyslexia often suffer from feelingsby our kids as parents, individuals and as a global
inadequacy, loss of interest in even non-school relatedcommunity. Awareness and understanding of what
activities and feel as if they are completely alone.they are going through is the first step.
They feel they are different from their classmates,