Question:

Hi Kathy Thanks for the advice Regards Leslie…UK:-) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi Leslie, This is just a thought but why don’t you time yourself when you begin studying.  Maybe start with 15 minutes to begin with, a 5 minute break, 15 minutes, a 5 minute break etc.  If you have several days to do the studying, maybe divide the pages by that many days and stop when you’ve reached your daily goal.  If you don’t overload yourself, you probably won’t fight picking up the material the next time. The methold behind my madness:  From what I’ve learned about dyslexia with our son, you have to work twice as hard as anyone else to complete the same reading task.  When I first started teaching how to read, he could only read about 5 sentences and then he was so tired.   He’d even get black circle under his eyes.  I would put the book away and take it out the next day. We’ve been doing it like that all year and now he can read at least 6 pages before he tires. Hopefully Raymond will pop in here with some suggestions. Take care Kathy Hi all Dose anyone out there have the same problem of me, that it take you a long time to get started doing anything when it comes to studying. But when you then get round to it you do it to a point where you get over loaded, then it is a long while before you do any again. I would like some help on how to keep it constant, so the gaps between me doing it is not weeks or months, but a few hours to a day or a few days. I know that I have got Dyslexia, but I also feel that I have some ADHD too. I really find it hard to get down to doing any studding or reading for my job. Regards Les

Response:

Actually, that is not so strange.  ADHD is treated most commonly by stimulant drugs.  So, although people are not prescribed "diet pills", the active ingredient, at least in some of the drugs, is basically the same.  It is not unusual to hear of adults with ADHD who had some difficulties concentrating and who took some over-the-counter diet pills for a while and realized it helped them a great deal.  If the particular pills you were prescribed did not work, talk to a physician.  There are a variety of drugs and, although they all act fundamentally the same, they each do not work on the same neurotransmitters so, depending on which of yours are problematic, the drugs may not work at all.  Changing meds may make a huge difference to you. Maria – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –    this is going to sound bad but I’m being serious (and no I’m not a drug addict….I took a stimulant (prescribed by my doc) to help me loose weight called Adapex and I could focus so well and quit having those  yo -yo’s you are talking about.  I could only take them for 3 mo. (some kind of law) and so afterwards the doc put me on Adderall it works a little with focus but nothing like the Adapex….I have only found meds to help:-(   If you find another way ..Please let me know I’ll be glad to try it. Hedda Hi Kathy Thanks for the advice Regards Leslie…UK:-) Hi Leslie, This is just a thought but why don’t you time yourself when you begin studying.  Maybe start with 15 minutes to begin with, a 5 minute break, 15 minutes, a 5 minute break etc.  If you have several days to do the studying, maybe divide the pages by that many days and stop when you’ve reached your daily goal.  If you don’t overload yourself, you probably won’t fight picking up the material the next time. The methold behind my madness:  From what I’ve learned about dyslexia with our son, you have to work twice as hard as anyone else to complete the same reading task.  When I first started teaching how to read, he could only read about 5 sentences and then he was so tired.   He’d even get black circle under his eyes.  I would put the book away and take it out the next day. We’ve been doing it like that all year and now he can read at least 6 pages before he tires. Hopefully Raymond will pop in here with some suggestions. Take care Kathy Hi all Dose anyone out there have the same problem of me, that it take you a long time to get started doing anything when it comes to studying. But when you then get round to it you do it to a point where you get over loaded, then it is a long while before you do any again. I would like some help on how to keep it constant, so the gaps between me doing it is not weeks or months, but a few hours to a day or a few days. I know that I have got Dyslexia, but I also feel that I have some ADHD too. I really find it hard to get down to doing any studding or reading for my job. Regards Les

Response:

   this is going to sound bad but I’m being serious (and no I’m not a drug addict….I took a stimulant (prescribed by my doc) to help me loose weight called Adapex and I could focus so well and quit having those  yo -yo’s you are talking about.  I could only take them for 3 mo. (some kind of law) and so afterwards the doc put me on Adderall it works a little with focus but nothing like the Adapex….I have only found meds to help:-(   If you find another way ..Please let me know I’ll be glad to try it. Hedda

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi Kathy Thanks for the advice Regards Leslie…UK:-) Hi Leslie, This is just a thought but why don’t you time yourself when you begin studying.  Maybe start with 15 minutes to begin with, a 5 minute break, 15 minutes, a 5 minute break etc.  If you have several days to do the studying, maybe divide the pages by that many days and stop when you’ve reached your daily goal.  If you don’t overload yourself, you probably won’t fight picking up the material the next time. The methold behind my madness:  From what I’ve learned about dyslexia with our son, you have to work twice as hard as anyone else to complete the same reading task.  When I first started teaching how to read, he could only read about 5 sentences and then he was so tired.   He’d even get black circle under his eyes.  I would put the book away and take it out the next day. We’ve been doing it like that all year and now he can read at least 6 pages before he tires. Hopefully Raymond will pop in here with some suggestions. Take care Kathy Hi all Dose anyone out there have the same problem of me, that it take you a long time to get started doing anything when it comes to studying. But when you then get round to it you do it to a point where you get over loaded, then it is a long while before you do any again. I would like some help on how to keep it constant, so the gaps between me doing it is not weeks or months, but a few hours to a day or a few days. I know that I have got Dyslexia, but I also feel that I have some ADHD too. I really find it hard to get down to doing any studding or reading for my job. Regards Les

Response:

Hi all Dose anyone out there have the same problem of me, that it take you a long time to get started doing anything when it comes to studying. But when you then get round to it you do it to a point where you get over loaded, then it is a long while before you do any again. I would like some help on how to keep it constant, so the gaps between me doing it is not weeks or months, but a few hours to a day or a few days. I know that I have got Dyslexia, but I also feel that I have some ADHD too. I really find it hard to get down to doing any studding or reading for my job. Regards Les

Response:

Hi Leslie, This is just a thought but why don’t you time yourself when you begin studying.  Maybe start with 15 minutes to begin with, a 5 minute break, 15 minutes, a 5 minute break etc.  If you have several days to do the studying, maybe divide the pages by that many days and stop when you’ve reached your daily goal.  If you don’t overload yourself, you probably won’t fight picking up the material the next time. The methold behind my madness:  From what I’ve learned about dyslexia with our son, you have to work twice as hard as anyone else to complete the same reading task.  When I first started teaching how to read, he could only read about 5 sentences and then he was so tired.   He’d even get black circle under his eyes.  I would put the book away and take it out the next day. We’ve been doing it like that all year and now he can read at least 6 pages before he tires. Hopefully Raymond will pop in here with some suggestions. Take care Kathy

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all Dose anyone out there have the same problem of me, that it take you a long time to get started doing anything when it comes to studying. But when you then get round to it you do it to a point where you get over loaded, then it is a long while before you do any again. I would like some help on how to keep it constant, so the gaps between me doing it is not weeks or months, but a few hours to a day or a few days. I know that I have got Dyslexia, but I also feel that I have some ADHD too. I really find it hard to get down to doing any studding or reading for my job. Regards Les

Response:

Question:

: Hello : I am looking at setting up some material for students. The material is : on-line revision tests, and one of the aims is to ensure that the : settings are as usable as possible for students who are dyslexic. : : There are a number of aspects that we are looking at, but one at : present is fonts – both style and colour. : : As the material is going to be delivered via a browser, the savvy : students will be able to override any settings that I create through : the browser, so we are looking more at those students who don’t as a : matter of course, reset browsers to their own preferences. : : We also have to consider VI students (however, as we haven’t got any : at present the focus will predominantly be on Dyslexic students) : : From searching the archives at Google, and some on-line research, I : have found the following: : : – It’s generally a good idea to space the letters out a little more : than standard. : – For some users a serifed font is better, however, for other users a : sans serif font is better (because of the fact that screens, on the : whole aren’t as clear as paper) : – The font size shouldn’t’ be too small, but not huge either. : : Colour combinations – black text on white can be too contrasty. : : Clearly, we have to balance the needs of the dyslexic students with : the needs of everyone else. The one area that I am thinking about is : font – where most material would suggest that for many users : sans-serif fonts are easier to read on screen, where as much of the : material I have read re. Dyslexia would suggest that a serifed font is : easier to read, though that often doesn’t specify if screen or paper. : : Ideally, therefore the situation would be to provide switchable CSS, : with a series of settings selected to meet the needs of most users, : and to work with others (most likely to be those with visual : difficulties) in creating an individual style sheet – and overriding : the settings. (Clearly staff will have to be taught how to use the : software that we use so that the user can override the settings). : : What would you suggest as the best fonts to select to test out the : possibilities of having as a basis for these switchable style sheets? : : I have seen Times New Roman recommended by many (though not specifying : if screen or paper), Comic Sans (though some think it not suitable for : adults – which is what we have), Trebuchet (because of the True TYpe : fonts that were developed for screen use it has the best ascenders and : descenders). : : What do you think of Garamond (serif – but developed for screen use, : rather than adapted from a font developed for paper – as most others : are).? : : Rather a lot of questions I know – but I would be interested in your : ideas. : : CD Just a suggestion, but wouldn’t it be just as easy to do a "cheat sheet" on how to change the fonts/color? Make it part of the class presentation to see you for details even? That way then the student can adjust as needed. I know what works for me doesn’t work for my daughter..and you would be chasing a dragon’s tail it seems by trying to get it right for everyone instead of having the student get it right for themselves. -Pam

Response:

:  at present the focus will predominantly be on Dyslexic students) :   : CD : : Just a suggestion, but wouldn’t it be just as easy to do a "cheat sheet" on : how to change the fonts/color? Make it part of the class presentation to see : you for details even? That way then the student can adjust as needed. I know : what works for me doesn’t work for my daughter..and you would be chasing a : dragon’s tail it seems by trying to get it right for everyone instead of : having the student get it right for themselves. -Pam : : I would have included that anyway, but I’d like to start with a combo : that suits most… : : There are a few other issues as well, such as the fact that we are : using a particular software to set up some online tests, at the moment : it is for revision, and we are looking at how the questions are : presented (ie image based, vs. text based where appropriate), text : entry vs Multiple choice, – where appropriate. We are trying to see : which type of questions are easiest for the students to answer, yet : still academically stretching them. : : Depending on the delivery mode, (especially when we are in the future : looking at secure browsers for exams), I am not sure how much students : will be able to play with the settings. Therefore if we can get : settings that suit most, (and hopefully a set of settings that they : can select the best), then the number of students who will have to : spend extra time adjusting will be minimised. : : There is also the issue that many of the students I have spoken to : didn’t realise how much a difference a different font made, so when I : changed the fonts they were pleasantly suprised. I was just hoping to : get a smallish set of "good" to look at to start with. Clearly if they : decide to go off and find a better font for them, then great! *chuckle*…okay, now that I know more of what is going on I see what you are doing! Right now I don’t have anything I could suggest to help you. Each person is so unique in how their dyslexia works for them that I’m afraid that I can only give you what works for me but I know that only works for *me*. Good luck and I do appreciate what you are doing! -Pam : : CD.

Response:

The one area that I am thinking about is font – where most material would suggest that for many users sans-serif fonts are easier to read on screen, where as much of the material I have read re. Dyslexia would suggest that a serifed font is easier to read, though that often doesn’t specify if screen or paper.

Speaking personally the thing I have noticed is the crucial thing about the font is not just the size but whether the font used has a fairly think line. Whilst you could bold everything that means you can’t use bold to highlight key words and phrases so I prefer text which have a pronounced normal thickness which you can increase by using the bold html.  Hope that’s clear. Also light text on too dark a background is difficult to read it seems to increase the perceived thinness of the line. Times New Roman seems to work better on paper than on the screen for me. — I am dyslexic and therefore a creative speller!

Response:

 at present the focus will predominantly be on Dyslexic students)   : CD Just a suggestion, but wouldn’t it be just as easy to do a "cheat sheet" on how to change the fonts/color? Make it part of the class presentation to see you for details even? That way then the student can adjust as needed. I know what works for me doesn’t work for my daughter..and you would be chasing a dragon’s tail it seems by trying to get it right for everyone instead of having the student get it right for themselves. -Pam

I would have included that anyway, but I’d like to start with a combo that suits most… There are a few other issues as well, such as the fact that we are using a particular software to set up some online tests, at the moment it is for revision, and we are looking at how the questions are presented (ie image based, vs. text based where appropriate), text entry vs Multiple choice, – where appropriate. We are trying to see which type of questions are easiest for the students to answer, yet still academically stretching them. Depending on the delivery mode, (especially when we are in the future looking at secure browsers for exams), I am not sure how much students will be able to play with the settings. Therefore if we can get settings that suit most, (and hopefully a set of settings that they can select the best), then the number of students who will have to spend extra time adjusting will be minimised. There is also the issue that many of the students I have spoken to didn’t realise how much a difference a different font made, so when I changed the fonts they were pleasantly suprised. I was just hoping to get a smallish set of "good" to look at to start with. Clearly if they decide to go off and find a better font for them, then great! CD.

Response:

Times New Roman seems to work better on paper than on the screen for me

As far as I can tell, that is true for most people. Most of the stuff on usability (for everyone, not just for dyslexics) would suggest that sans serif fonts are easier to read on screen, and serifed on paper. So, it always strikes me as weird that Microsoft set the defalt font in a browser to be Times – not only is it serifed, it also isn’t one that is designed for the web! (OK in Word, where most people are planning to print a Word doc in the end) CD

Response:

Hello I am looking at setting up some material for students. The material is on-line revision tests, and one of the aims is to ensure that the settings are as usable as possible for students who are dyslexic. There are a number of aspects that we are looking at, but one at present is fonts – both style and colour. As the material is going to be delivered via a browser, the savvy students will be able to override any settings that I create through the browser, so we are looking more at those students who don’t as a matter of course, reset browsers to their own preferences. We also have to consider VI students (however, as we haven’t got any at present the focus will predominantly be on Dyslexic students) From searching the archives at Google, and some on-line research, I have found the following: – It’s generally a good idea to space the letters out a little more than standard. – For some users a serifed font is better, however, for other users a sans serif font is better (because of the fact that screens, on the whole aren’t as clear as paper) – The font size shouldn’t’ be too small, but not huge either. Colour combinations – black text on white can be too contrasty. Clearly, we have to balance the needs of the dyslexic students with the needs of everyone else. The one area that I am thinking about is font – where most material would suggest that for many users sans-serif fonts are easier to read on screen, where as much of the material I have read re. Dyslexia would suggest that a serifed font is easier to read, though that often doesn’t specify if screen or paper. Ideally, therefore the situation would be to provide switchable CSS, with a series of settings selected to meet the needs of most users, and to work with others (most likely to be those with visual difficulties) in creating an individual style sheet – and overriding the settings. (Clearly staff will have to be taught how to use the software that we use so that the user can override the settings). What would you suggest as the best fonts to select to test out the possibilities of having as a basis for these switchable style sheets? I have seen Times New Roman recommended by many (though not specifying if screen or paper), Comic Sans (though some think it not suitable for adults – which is what we have), Trebuchet (because of the True TYpe fonts that were developed for screen use it has the best ascenders and descenders). What do you think of Garamond (serif – but developed for screen use, rather than adapted from a font developed for paper – as most others are).? Rather a lot of questions I know – but I would be interested in your ideas. CD

Response:

Question:

Hi I am currently doing a BSc and for years now I hve dreamed of being a teacher. I also had problems and when I came to university I was found to be dyslexic. Does anyone know any dyslexic teachers as I feel this will cause me great problems. Any advice? Sharon —

Response:

Hi I am currently doing a BSc and for years now I hve dreamed of being a teacher. I also had problems and when I came to university I was found to be dyslexic. Does anyone know any dyslexic teachers as I feel this will cause me great problems. Any advice? Sharon

Sharon, There was a thread on this a while ago, it is archived on Google groups. Here is one: http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&threadm=1c4c9a1b.0… (sorry about the huge URL – if you type Teachers into google groups search, and specify that you want to search alt.support.dyslexia then it is the first one that comes up. There are others, but I can’t seem to find them right now! CD

Response:

I was in the dss about 6 months ago and the women there who saw me to sort out my claim had been a teacher for 20 years and she was dyslexic now working in dss. What age would you like to teach? I am doing an access course at the moment and would like to do a degree and go into teaching jo

Response:

I like to teach 11 to 18 year olds in geography or IT Sharon

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was in the dss about 6 months ago and the women there who saw me to sort out my claim had been a teacher for 20 years and she was dyslexic now working in dss. What age would you like to teach? I am doing an access course at the moment and would like to do a degree and go into teaching jo

Response:

Hi Sharon, I teach computer applications to adults. To be honest I’ve no idea what impact my dyslexia has on my ability as teach. All I can say is that my teaching is no worse than that of my lexical colleges. I’ve experienced a number of consequences of being a dyslexic teacher. These range from confounding the common view that not being able to spell is a sign of being badly educated. When I write on a board I explain that I can’t spell and that people can laugh at my spelling mistakes if they want. I then go on to explain that we are not having a spelling lesson and that continued laughter is in appropriate. I usually get a few incidental giggles as people can’t believe that I can’t spell simple every day words. However after the initial uneasiness this is soon accepted as a matter of course. This situation would be more difficult for a less practical and more academic subject were written language played a central role in learning. However there are numerous strategies you could use to overcome this. Rather than write on a board you could use prepared material on an OHP or via a computer projector. Key cards are another method were you have a set of cards with the key words written on them. You can then use these as guide to the correct spelling.You might need to enlist the help of a good proof reader for all the materials you create. You’ve probably already mastered the use of a computer for producing written  and presentation materials. I’ve found this a real liberation before I learnt to use a word processor and how to type I hardly wrote anything it just took to long and I couldn’t read what I’d written. For me dyslexia manifests as a problem when dealing with sequences; order of letters, steps in tying a shoelace, number sequences, complex sets of instructions. Strangely enough this appears to only apply to sequences in time (temporal) and not sequences in space which I can visualise. I don’t know if this is a result of dyslexia (although many dyslexic have mentioned it) but I find working with and manipulating information I can visualise easy. For example no matter how many times you give me directions I will never be able to follow them however give me a map and after a quick look to workout the root I need to take I will be able to find my way without having to look at the map for a second time. I feel that these aspects of being dyslexia give me an advantage in creating learning encounters for people. Because I find the details of a problem or concept difficult to remember I begin from an overview of the subject. I then work backwards to fill in the details. I find this a useful pedagogical technique. I can provide learners with an overview of a subject which they can then use a framework in which to understand the details. Because I have to recreate the details from the overview of a subject I need to understand how each individual detail fits into this overview. This gives me a strong logical description of the subject which emphasises the structure of the subject over individual facts. Presenting information in this way appears to be just as effective (and I would argue more effective) as presenting learners with a set of facts that must be learnt by rote. As a consequence of my confusion over individual details I tend to make sure I’m very clear on how these details relate to each other. This makes explaining them to others much easier and give me incites into some of the common misconceptions that people might have about the subject. In conclusion being dyslexic will present a set of challenges and advantages for you as a teacher that in no way should be seen as barriers to you becoming a teacher. The biggest barrier will be the ignorance of your educational colleagues. They all pay lip service to inclusive learning. However when it comes to inclusive teaching its quite another story. The will fret that somehow your dyslexia will rub of on your students and this will undermine the authority of teachers. They will constantly comment that you spelling is a barrier to your teaching. This is only to be expected as no doubted you’ve already been told that your spelling will hold you back academically. What is more surprising is that no allowances will be made for some of the other aspects of your dyslexia. You will be expected to produce learning materials at short notice, do mountains of marking and administration despite the fact that you probably need allot more time to accomplish these tasks. When you try to explain that you need more time and some support to do these things you will be seen as being lazy or incompetent. Amazingly I’ve had this type of reaction even from basic skills tutors who are well versed in the problems dyslexic learners face. It’s as if as a teacher all these problems are just supposed to vanish and if you can’t cope then you should get another job. This is probably the hardest part of being a teacher. I’ve dealt with this in a number of ways and I’m sure you will find your own ways of dealing with this problem. When I first began teaching it was difficult because I just couldn’t keep up with producing new materials quickly enough. However over time I’ve built up a substantial store of learning materials and this problem is now less acute. However it would have helped to apply the salami principle from the start. That is trying to each a whole salami in one sitting is a gastonomical nightmare. However when thinly sliced and eaten over a sufficiently long time its is a delectable delicacy. In other words plan to take along time over your preparation and to do it in small manageable amounts (a fine sentiment in principle but one I rarely manage in practice). As to the administration and marking problem I’ve managed to find a niche were both are minimised. The accredited courses I teach tend to be based round course work. This gives me more time to prepare feedback for learners. I still struggle with the administrative side of teaching. This problem could be reduced if I was prepared or willing to be more organised in my activities. So if you can I would recommend developing your organisational skills as being an effective technique for becoming a teacher. Hope this is of some use and I wish you well in your chosen carrier I hope you find it challenging but rewarding. On final point though as long as you find what you doing rewarding don’t let the challenges stop you from carrying on. However if for some reason you find that what you’re doing is no longer rewarding then don’t be afraid to change direction and try something else instead. Tim Gillibrand

Response:

Many Thanks Sharon

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi I am currently doing a BSc and for years now I hve dreamed of being a teacher. I also had problems and when I came to university I was found to be dyslexic. Does anyone know any dyslexic teachers as I feel this will cause me great problems. Any advice? Sharon Sharon, There was a thread on this a while ago, it is archived on Google groups. Here is one:

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&threadm=1c4c9a1b.0… 30.6bb520f9%40posting.google.com&rnum=1&prev=/groups%3Fq%3Dteachers%2Bgroup : alt.support.dyslexia%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26selm%3D1c4c9a1b.01090 6 0530.6bb520f9%2540posting.google.com%26rnum%3D1 – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – (sorry about the huge URL – if you type Teachers into google groups search, and specify that you want to search alt.support.dyslexia then it is the first one that comes up. There are others, but I can’t seem to find them right now! CD

Response:

Question:

Im still looking for some info on this as well particularly on how employers can help dyslexics I don’t think they could fire you, I think its your choice to tell them or not but they cant be held responsible if they didn’t know (BTW im from the UK) I had a bit of a run in with my employer once where I was forced to disclose my dyslexia to them in order to settle the case, they were cross I didn’t disclose it as I felt it wasn’t necessary, however I regret that now. When you actually disclose it to them is another matter i.e. on interview or after etc. I know it is your duty under the health and safety regulations to tell them about a disability if it will affect health and safety, this is a legal requirement. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m just about to start job hunting, and I’m wondering were I stand as far as disclosing my dyslexia goes. All I’ve been told from Careers advice is that I don’t have to tell my employers, but they could fire me if they find out I witheld it from them  I have a feeling that I’ll get discriminated against by some employers as soon as they find out, despite the fact I’ve got a degree and am doing a masters as well. If they did find out I was dsylexic, could they actually fire me for it (me witholding it that is)? Surely that would be disablity discrimination, or a convienent excuse. I don’t really see why should I have to tell them if I don’t want to? Does anyone know where I actually stand on this?

Response:

If you are in the uk the Disability Rights Commision says that you don’t have to disclose a disability when you apply for a job but if you don’t it may may it difficult if you subseqently take an action against them for discrimination. John – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I think that telling them, the potential employer, could work also to your advantage. Because you have overcome a disability and achieved a Bachelors (?) and are pusuing a Masters this no small accomplishment. My compliments to you. I recommend using your descretion and I think you’ll perceptive enough to be able to choose wisely whether to reveal your dyslexia. Living in the states I am aware that employers cannot discriminate against me because of my dyslexia, proving did however…, and they cannot fire me as well because of it. As for me I am also on the hunt for work and have been for about year and half. tech jobs gotta luv’em c’ya Hi all, I’m just about to start job hunting, and I’m wondering were I stand as far as disclosing my dyslexia goes. All I’ve been told from Careers advice is that I don’t have to tell my employers, but they could fire me if they find out I witheld it from them I have a feeling that I’ll get discriminated against by some employers as soon as they find out, despite the fact I’ve got a degree and am doing a masters as well. If they did find out I was dsylexic, could they actually fire me for it (me witholding it that is)? Surely that would be disablity discrimination, or a convienent excuse. I don’t really see why should I have to tell them if I don’t want to? Does anyone know where I actually stand on this? Thanks

Response:

Hi, Discrimination against dyslexics at work can be a real problem. I’ve lost at least two jobs because of this. The first instance I walked away from because I was leaving the job anyway. This was in a hospital were a misguided psychologist thought I should only do jobs were my dyslexia wouldn’t be a problem. No suggestion that jobs can be easily adapted so that having dyslexia isn’t an issue. The second case was much more surprising this was in an educational institution were the staff specialised in supporting dyslexic learners. I disclosed my dyslexia in the application form and explained the consequences during the interview. I got the job and enjoyed teaching adults computer applications. However as time went by it became obvious that I wasn’t coping with all the administration and had gotten into a total mess. Rather than working with me to resolve this problem and find ways of modifying the job to overcome this I was treated as being incompetent. This resulted in constructive dismissal. It left a very bad taste and I was to upset to take them to a tribunal I just wanted to forget the whole incident. What really got me was that the very same member of staff who was so excellent at working with dyslexic learners had been the prime mover behind the constructive dismissal. Unfortunately it’s not enough to just disclose your dyslexia to an employer. You need to let them know exactly what parts of your job your dyslexia impacts and how the job needs to be modified so that you can do it competently. This presents a number of problems including; how to identify the effects of being dyslectic, how much to disclose to your employer, at what point to ask for support, what kind of support and help to ask for, how much legal protection you have. It’s impossible to identify all the consequences having dyslexia might have on your work. Having always been dyslexic how can I know what effects it has on my work. It’s part of who I am and not some separate set of symptoms that can be quantified. There are some obvious effects like being crap at spelling and taking longer to learn sequences of events. As for everything else I have no idea if their would be any difference if I wasn’t dyslexic. As for the other problems dyslexia is invisible much of the time and so their is no perceived need to adapt the work environment. I don’t see myself as being disabled but find many situations as being disabling. I’m sure this is a viewed shared by many people. We live in a society that is disabling to many people for a variety of reasons. Until we move from a disabling to an enabling society dyslexics will face a set of specific problems. These revolve round the identification of situations that are specifically disabling to dyslexics and having these recognised as legitimate problems that can best be resolved by modifying these specific situations. Tim Gillibrand

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – yes you do not have any chance of taking them for discrimination if they dont know i have had several run in at work and eventually left but it is costly to take out court cases anyhow. if you are in a union and you do not tell the place that you are working i do not think they can represent you on your dyslexia. i do not feel ashamed of telling future employers i mean i am not ashamed of it and nor should you be you have achieved a lot well done. i am dyslexic etc but i have achieved this you should get someone to take you achievements jo

Response:

Hi all, I’m just about to start job hunting, and I’m wondering were I stand as far as disclosing my dyslexia goes. All I’ve been told from Careers advice is that I don’t have to tell my employers, but they could fire me if they find out I witheld it from them  I have a feeling that I’ll get discriminated against by some employers as soon as they find out, despite the fact I’ve got a degree and am doing a masters as well. If they did find out I was dsylexic, could they actually fire me for it (me witholding it that is)? Surely that would be disablity discrimination, or a convienent excuse. I don’t really see why should I have to tell them if I don’t want to? Does anyone know where I actually stand on this? Thanks

Response:

You should have sued them anyway!! I guess proving discrimination can be tricky but I guess there are ways of you know how. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Well in the follow up to why I was not interviewed for a particular job I only lernt the truth when I agreed not to take it up as a disability case. That is the irony, if you take it up as a case you cannot prove discrimination, what was more important to me at the time was to lern the truth. — Larry "We are all of one mind, one equal mind, and if each of us persists in being the centre of our own existence we are all doomed to suffer at each others hands. I cannot exist on my own without you, neither can you be without me, what is the world wide web about after all?. We are interdependent whether we are aware of the fact or not" yes you do not have any chance of taking them for discrimination if they  dont know i have had several run in at work and eventually left but it is  costly to take out court cases anyhow. if you are in a union and you do not tell the place that you are working i  do not think they can represent you on your dyslexia. i do not feel ashamed of telling future employers i mean i am not ashamed  of it and nor should you be you have achieved a lot well done. i am dyslexic etc but i have achieved this you should get someone to take  you achievements jo

Response:

Well in the follow up to why I was not interviewed for a particular job I only lernt the truth when I agreed not to take it up as a disability case. That is the irony, if you take it up as a case you cannot prove discrimination, what was more important to me at the time was to lern the truth. — Larry "We are all of one mind, one equal mind, and if each of us persists in being the centre of our own existence we are all doomed to suffer at each others hands. I cannot exist on my own without you, neither can you be without me, what is the world wide web about after all?. We are interdependent whether we are aware of the fact or not"

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – yes you do not have any chance of taking them for discrimination if they dont know i have had several run in at work and eventually left but it is costly to take out court cases anyhow. if you are in a union and you do not tell the place that you are working i do not think they can represent you on your dyslexia. i do not feel ashamed of telling future employers i mean i am not ashamed of it and nor should you be you have achieved a lot well done. i am dyslexic etc but i have achieved this you should get someone to take you achievements jo

Response:

yes you do not have any chance of taking them for discrimination if they dont know i have had several run in at work and eventually left but it is costly to take out court cases anyhow. if you are in a union and you do not tell the place that you are working i do not think they can represent you on your dyslexia. i do not feel ashamed of telling future employers i mean i am not ashamed of it and nor should you be you have achieved a lot well done. i am dyslexic etc but i have achieved this you should get someone to take you achievements jo

Response:

I think that telling them, the potential employer, could work also to your advantage. Because you have overcome a disability and achieved a Bachelors (?) and are pusuing a Masters this no small accomplishment. My compliments to you. I recommend using your descretion and I think you’ll perceptive enough to be able to choose wisely whether to reveal your dyslexia. Living in the states I am aware that employers cannot discriminate against me because of my dyslexia, proving did however…, and they cannot fire me as well because of it. As for me I am also on the hunt for work and have been for about year and half. tech jobs gotta luv’em c’ya – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all, I’m just about to start job hunting, and I’m wondering were I stand as far as disclosing my dyslexia goes. All I’ve been told from Careers advice is that I don’t have to tell my employers, but they could fire me if they find out I witheld it from them I have a feeling that I’ll get discriminated against by some employers as soon as they find out, despite the fact I’ve got a degree and am doing a masters as well. If they did find out I was dsylexic, could they actually fire me for it (me witholding it that is)? Surely that would be disablity discrimination, or a convienent excuse. I don’t really see why should I have to tell them if I don’t want to? Does anyone know where I actually stand on this? Thanks

Response:

Question:

I lernt mind mapping to help with the problems you are describing, it is a whole lot less expensive and it was part of tuition provided for my by the dyslexia institute and paid for by the department of employment. Larry

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, I’ve recently started Uni and thought it would be a good idea to try the ddat programme in order to attempt to eradicate some of the problems I have with being dyslexic (reading for meaning and organising my ideas on paper) so to make work less frustrating and quicker to do. I’ve been doing the ddat exercises for 4 months but so far I’ve had no improvement . I was told at the centre that in adults (im 19) the improvement is slower and later it will quickly become more noticable. I’m just wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience since joining the programme? Any relevent comments welcome. James.

Response:

Hi, I’ve recently started Uni and thought it would be a good idea to try the ddat programme in order to attempt to eradicate some of the problems I have with being dyslexic (reading for meaning and organising my ideas on paper) so to make work less frustrating and quicker to do. I’ve been doing the ddat exercises for 4 months but so far I’ve had no improvement . I was told at the centre that in adults (im 19) the improvement is slower and later it will quickly become more noticable. I’m just wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience since joining the programme? Any relevent comments welcome. James.

Response:

Question:

What is Digit span and digit symbol coding and how does this effect a person

Response:

What is Digit span and digit symbol coding and how does this effect a person

Digit span is the number of discrete bits of information you can hold in short term memory – it is usually tested by giving a random series of numbers.  An "average" digit span for an adult might be around 7 — that is it would be relatively easy to remember and repeat back a random series up to 7, but difficult as more numbers were added. Dyslexics often have problems with digit span, so it is often used as one component of a test for dyslexia.   Both Digit Span and Digit Symbol Coding are subtests on the WAIS-III, an IQ assessment test often used to test for learning disabilities in adults. The precise tests are described as follows: 5. Digit Span: Two parts, Digits forward and digits backwards. Examinee required to repeat 3 – 9 digits forward and 2 – 9 digits backwards.  Measures short-term memory, attention, and concentration. 8. Coding-Digit Symbol: Numbers 1 – 7 are paired with symbols on a key presented to examinee. Examinee has 120 seconds to go through a grid of 90 numbers and place the correct symbol above each number. Measures visual-motor speed and complexity, motor coordination. There are two additional, optional extensions of the coding test that measure the examinees skills in learning the coding process after completing the initial task. Source: http://coats.iupui.edu/~flip/wechsler.html Hope this helps, Abigail Marshall Webmaster, http://www.dyslexia.com/

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Question:

I’m diagnosed with ADHD, taking Ritalin, and this has started, after almost 6 months of treatment, to give me really bad anxiety. I had to lower and fraction the dose. However looking at the DSM-IV criterias for Generalized Anxiety Disorder, I found myself correponding to all the criterias, even w/o the Ritalin side-effects. I copy/paste the whole thing for reference:    1. Excessive anxiety and worry (apprehensive expectation), occurring    more days than not for at least 6 months, about a number of events or    activities (such as work or school performance). Check!    2. The person finds it difficult to control the worry. Check. The only way for me to control the fucking worry is to just drop it. Which is a problem when the worry is about work. Sucks hard.    3. The anxiety and worry are associated with three (or more) of the    following six symptoms (with at least some symptoms present for more    days than not for the past 6 months).       Note: Only one item is required in children.          1. restlessness or feeling keyed up or on edge Check!          2. being easily fatigued CHECK!          3. difficulty concentrating or mind going blank Check …          4. irritability Check!          5. muscle tension Sometimes yeah.          6. sleep disturbance (difficulty falling or staying asleep, or          restless unsatisfying sleep) I sleep way too much, esp. when I’m worried.    4. The focus of the anxiety and worry is not confined to features of an    Axis I disorder, e.g., the anxiety or worry is not about having a Panic    Attack (as in Panic Disorder), being embarrassed in public (as in    Social Phobia), being contaminated (as in Obsessive-Compulsive    Disorder), being away from home or close relatives (as in Separation    Anxiety Disorder), gaining weight (as in Anorexia Nervosa), having    multiple physical complaints (as in Somatization Disorder), or having a    serious illness (as in Hypochondriasis), and the anxiety and worry do    not occur exclusively during Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Definitely check.    5. The anxiety, worry, or physical symptoms cause clinically    significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other    important areas of functioning. Check check check.    6. The disturbance is not due to the direct physiological effects of a    substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or a general medical    condition (e.g., hyperthyroidism) and does not occur exclusively during    a Mood Disorder, a Psychotic Disorder, or a Pervasive Developmental    Disorder. Ok not check ATM, but this happened before taking Ritalin, although the symptoms of ADHD were more of a problem. Now while Ritalin has taken away some of the ADHD shit, it’s not made any difference in many areas. I still have trouble getting started. The main difference is that I don’t get fatigued (as in tired-as-if-I-had-not- slept-for-a-week fatigued) when working/reading/listening to boring shit such as business meetings. And I also don’t run around in circles or wiggle my legs/hands as I used to. For reference, ADHD checklist:    1.  Either (1) or (2):          1. six (or more) of the following symptoms of inattention have          persisted for at least 6 months to a degree that is maladaptive          and inconsistent with developmental level:                1. often fails to give close attention to details or makes                careless mistakes in schoolwork, work, or other activities Check.                2. often has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or                play activities Check check.                3. often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly Check.                4. often does not follow through on instructions and fails                to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace                (not due to oppositional behavior or failure to understand                instructions) Check.                5. often has difficulty organizing tasks and activities Check.                6. often avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to engage in                tasks that require sustained mental effort (such as                schoolwork or homework) Check.                7. often loses things necessary for tasks or activities                (e.g., toys, school assignments, pencils, books, or tools) ~~                8. is often easily distracted by extraneous stimuli Check.                9. is often forgetful in daily activities Check.          2. six (or more) of the following symptoms of          hyperactivity-impulsivity have persisted for at least 6 months to          a degree that is maladaptive and inconsistent with developmental          level:                   Hyperactivity                1. often fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat Check.                2. often leaves seat in classroom or in other situations in                which remaining seated is expected Check.                3. often runs about or climbs excessively in situations in                which it is inappropriate (in adolescents or adults, may be                limited to subjective feelings of restlessness) Check.                4. often has difficulty playing or engaging in leisure                activities quietly No.                5. is often "on the go" or often acts as if "driven by a                motor" Check.                6. often talks excessively Check.                   Impulsivity                7. often blurts out answers before questions have been                completed Not anymore but yeah.                8. often has difficulty awaiting turn Check.                9. often interrupts or intrudes on others (e.g., butts into                conversations or games) Somewhat.    2. Some hyperactive-impulsive or inattentive symptoms that caused    impairment were present before age 7 years. Probably.    3. Some impairment from the symptoms is present in two or more settings    (e.g., at school [or work] and at home). Yes.    4. There must be clear evidence of clinically significant impairment in    social, academic, or occupational functioning. Yes.    5. The symptoms do not occur exclusively during the course of a    Pervasive Developmental Disorder,  Schizophrenia , or other Psychotic    Disorder and are not better accounted for by another mental disorder    (e.g., Mood Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, Dissociative Disorder, or a    Personality Disorder). See above. What can I do?

Response:

What can I do?

You have two problems: GAD and ADHD. Anxiety disorders are common in people with ADHD. And stimulants used to treat ADHD can make your anxiety condition worse. I’d find a good psychopharmacologist and get some professional advice. Chip

Response:

You have two problems: GAD and ADHD. Anxiety disorders are common in people with ADHD. Chip

Comorbidity is widely prevalent in adult ADHD, affecting by some estimates up to 3 in 4 individuals with the disorder. The mood disorders (major depression, bipolar disorder, and dysthymia) have a comorbidity ranging from 19% to 37%. For anxiety disorders, comorbidity is 25% to 50%. The range for alcohol abuse is 32% to 53% and for other types of substance abuse, including THC and cocaine abuse, is 8% to 32%. Self-medication with nicotine and excessive doses of caffeine are often overlooked. The public health concerns for primary care physicians are readily apparent, as there are increased rates of nicotine abuse seen in adults with ADHD The rate of occurrence with personality disorders is 10% to 20% and with antisocial behavior is 18% to 28%.[7-11] There is a 20% comorbidity for learning disabilities, particularly auditory processing problems like dyslexia and auditory processing deficits.[7] These high rates of psychiatric comorbidity have several implications for primary care physicians. ADHD response rates are likely to be decreased if significant comorbid conditions are not considered in treatment planning. Furthermore, it is important not only to look for other psychiatric conditions in patients with ADHD, but also to examine for ADHD in patients whose primary presenting problems are psychiatric in nature. For example, for patients presenting with mood disorders, it is critical to initially treat the mood disorder; however, if concomitant ADHD is missed, the likelihood of successful long-term treatment is diminished.

Response:

I’m diagnosed with ADHD, taking Ritalin, and this has started, after almost 6 months of treatment, to give me really bad anxiety. I had to lower and fraction the dose.

Are you being followed by a neurologist?  Given that your symptoms were exacerbated by a CNS stimulant, I’d suggest a complete neuro workup.  It could be that something else is accounting for both the ADHD and GAD symptoms. — It isn’t really important to decide when you are very young just exactly what you want to become when you grow up. It is much more important to decide on the way you want to live.                      Golda Meir (1898-1978)                       Israeli Prime Minister http://home.gwi.net/~mdmpsyd/index.htm

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Question:

Dyslexia I’m not a doctor of any sort, or even a college grad.  However, I am a 31 year old dyslexic who has a bad tendency to over analyze.  I like to think I’ve lead a pretty interesting life and I’m pretty sure my intelect is above average. I’m far from what most would consider successful.  Infact, perhaps the greatest lessons i have to give are in what not to do. It’s an easy thing to attribute all of ones faults to a single thing.  That really isn’t my intention, nor my wish.  These are all just possibilities I put forth and welcome feedback too.  In truth I could blame my mistakes to a myriad of folly and weakness.   I’d also like to add… It’s been far from all bad.  Richard Bach wrote in illusions that people seek out problems for the gifts the give.  I do believe my dyslexia has defiantly had gifts to offer. Only recently, standing in the midst of the debris and ruin of a life, have I started to analyze what part dyslexia might have played in my life.  Oddly enough, the first time I ever realized what profound effect dyslexia had on my thinking was when I was in my 20’s.   I was driving in my car when my girlfriend pointed out that I hit the same two pot holes every day when I left the house.  Incredulously, she pointed out that they were always in the same spot and with a nominal amount of concentration they could be avoided.  I was aghast at this revelation.  In the four years of driving that road I’d been rattled repeatedly by these pitfalls, yet never once set myself to memorizing their placement.   I set myself to memorizing where they were and was able to mis them about 65 percent of the time. At the time I knew that little revelation was important but I wasn’t sure why. Over the next few years I went the way that made sense to me.  I never found a career I was happy with, lost the girlfriend I really cared about and found my life in shambles.   It was at that point I joined the military. In truth, I think that may be the force that caused me to sit back and really analyze the  nature of my disability. Unlike being born with out an arm or a hand  dyslexia is a very subtle handicap.  So subtle I’m sure millions have gone through life undiagnosed.   I come from a family that doesn’t admit weakness and tends to fight there way through it.  So, I never tried to use my dyslexia as an excuse.  As a result, I think I’ve wasted much time stumbling through life when I could have used my energies in ways that would have furthered my life much better. I don’t see dyslexia as a danger that will one day cause you to have a sudden death.  I see it more as a danger to the way you look at life. I have read a bit on dyslexia mostly to see if there was some way I could help my son do well in his life.  I remember reading that it has to do with the way the brain stores information.  I’m not sure this is totally correct because it seems like if the mind was apt to store things wrongly it would adapt and be more consistent.   I can go down the same hallway a hundred times and know the door is on the right.  Yet, out of the blue (maybe in a time of stress) am positive it’s on the left.  If it was stored incorrectly in the brain it seems like I’d always go left.  Instead, It pops up at unexpected times and seems as natural as anything else simple that you know. As a result, we learn to not rely on memory.  I tend to rely on my ability to figure out what I can.  like a person who is denied his sight, all my other sences seem to become sharper.  I’m very good at figuring out things…  but memorization and attention to the small details are things I’ve neglected due to the unreliability of my memory. I’ve often compared myself to a computer with vast "computing" skills, but no memory.   As a result… I believe I’ve come to live a live that is not sequential. Simple order, such as abc, are ignored out of normal nature. In effect, what I’m saying is I believe dyslexia has affected my view of cause and effect. On the bright side, I see life from a very nonlinear view and am often considered somewhat of a genius for my original take on normal situations. Yet, on the flip side, I’m often considered a moron for missing the obvious. I meant to write quite a bit more, but I think I aired my thoughts on this subject well enough.     I’ll save other stories about getting turned around and driving on the wrong side of the rode for later.     I’ll appreciate anyone’s input on any of the idea’s I put forth.

Response:

Some very good insight. I disagree with your use of "disability" and "handicap" but I really like your comments on memory. Frank

Response:

I’m taking advantage of your comment to jump on my soap box again. ^ In my job I often foresee a problem or opportunity very early in a process, ^ it’s obvious to me, while others need it explaining in simple terms. Many dyslexics have gained this ability in some form and I don’t think anyone is certain yet why. It may be that the dyslexic has to more frequently exercise reasoning ability to compensate for a poorer memory or some other poorer ability. But no matter what the cause, the result is, in general, a benefit to society. The same is true with other abilities that dyslexics have, in general, as a class of people. This is a primary reason why I refuse to accept that dyslexia is a disability (another primary reason is the lack of physical evidence). There are many who would physically eradicate the cause of dyslexia if they knew how, and there are some who are conducting research to do just that. There are, I think, two main reasons for this. The first is that society doesn’t like people who are different. This is not something that is arguable, it is a fact that has clear evidence throughout history. The second stems in part from the first, and that is that schools (the institutions, not the teachers) don’t want to have to increase their work output to meet the needs of students. There are various reasons behind the "want" and the primary may be financial. Schools would rather expend their money and effort with research that would cause all students to be the same rather than expend it more properly in educating all of society as it is. The result, perhaps without their awareness, is that they want society to bend to their needs rather than bending to the needs of society. Or perhaps they think that to meet the needs of society they have to make it "more educable" and don’t realize the greater harm they would be causing. I think part of the financial reason for the above is that most of the money we send to the schools through our governments for the purpose of educating our children is distributed in the form of grants for research. It is not sent to the classrooms for more teaching materials and it is not sent to the teachers for more education on teaching. It is sent to adults who already have degrees and who are doing research that will benefit the government and industry. Those are good things to spend money on but not at the sacrifice of a good general education of all of society. We have our priorities wrong. So rather than conduct research to understand and eradicate the cause of dyslexia, we should conduct research to understand dyslexia and develop information that will help us to work with it. Frank

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Dyslexia I’m not a doctor of any sort, or even a college grad.  However, I am a 31 year old dyslexic who has a bad tendency to over analyze.  I like to think I’ve lead a pretty interesting life and I’m pretty sure my intelect is above average. I’m far from what most would consider successful.  Infact, perhaps the greatest lessons i have to give are in what not to do. It’s an easy thing to attribute all of ones faults to a single thing. That really isn’t my intention, nor my wish.  These are all just possibilities I put forth and welcome feedback too.  In truth I could blame my mistakes to a myriad of folly and weakness. I’d also like to add… It’s been far from all bad.  Richard Bach wrote in illusions that people seek out problems for the gifts the give.  I do believe my dyslexia has defiantly had gifts to offer. Only recently, standing in the midst of the debris and ruin of a life, have I started to analyze what part dyslexia might have played in my life.  Oddly enough, the first time I ever realized what profound effect dyslexia had on my thinking was when I was in my 20’s. I was driving in my car when my girlfriend pointed out that I hit the same two pot holes every day when I left the house.  Incredulously, she pointed out that they were always in the same spot and with a nominal amount of concentration they could be avoided.  I was aghast at this revelation.  In the four years of driving that road I’d been rattled repeatedly by these pitfalls, yet never once set myself to memorizing their placement. I set myself to memorizing where they were and was able to mis them about 65 percent of the time. At the time I knew that little revelation was important but I wasn’t sure why. Over the next few years I went the way that made sense to me.  I never found a career I was happy with, lost the girlfriend I really cared about and found my life in shambles. It was at that point I joined the military. In truth, I think that may be the force that caused me to sit back and really analyze the  nature of my disability. Unlike being born with out an arm or a hand  dyslexia is a very subtle handicap.  So subtle I’m sure millions have gone through life undiagnosed. I come from a family that doesn’t admit weakness and tends to fight there way through it.  So, I never tried to use my dyslexia as an excuse.  As a result, I think I’ve wasted much time stumbling through life when I could have used my energies in ways that would have furthered my life much better. I don’t see dyslexia as a danger that will one day cause you to have a sudden death.  I see it more as a danger to the way you look at life. I have read a bit on dyslexia mostly to see if there was some way I could help my son do well in his life.  I remember reading that it has to do with the way the brain stores information.  I’m not sure this is totally correct because it seems like if the mind was apt to store things wrongly it would adapt and be more consistent.   I can go down the same hallway a hundred times and know the door is on the right.  Yet, out of the blue (maybe in a time of stress) am positive it’s on the left.  If it was stored incorrectly in the brain it seems like I’d always go left.  Instead, It pops up at unexpected times and seems as natural as anything else simple that you know. As a result, we learn to not rely on memory.  I tend to rely on my ability to figure out what I can.  like a person who is denied his sight, all my other sences seem to become sharper.  I’m very good at figuring out things… but memorization and attention to the small details are things I’ve neglected due to the unreliability of my memory. I’ve often compared myself to a computer with vast "computing" skills, but no memory. As a result… I believe I’ve come to live a live that is not sequential. Simple order, such as abc, are ignored out of normal nature. In effect, what I’m saying is I believe dyslexia has affected my view of cause and effect. On the bright side, I see life from a very nonlinear view and am often considered somewhat of a genius for my original take on normal situations. Yet, on the flip side, I’m often considered a moron for missing the obvious. I meant to write quite a bit more, but I think I aired my thoughts on this subject well enough.     I’ll save other stories about getting turned around and driving on the wrong side of the rode for later.     I’ll appreciate anyone’s input on any of the idea’s I put forth.

As a dyslexic I also have a (very) poor memory and can relate to many of the examples you give.  However, I don’t think they are caused by poor memory but by another issue related with dyslexia – disorientation. Dyslexics are easily disorientated in both space and time;  -which way do I go?  - what do I need to do next? Try re-reading your story but think in terms of disorientation. You don’t forget about the potholes, you just can’t (reliably) place them on the spatial (where) or temporal (when) map of the journey. You don’t forget that the door it on the right, but it’s only on the right from one direction, from the other direction it’s on the left.  For "time of stress" try "when distracted and not having the intellect fully engaged on the task.".  Dyslexics rely on their intellect to help manage orientation. Disorientation relates directly to reading and writing errors; the letters "p", "q", "d" and "b" are only different due to their orientation, get that wrong and you have the wrong letter.  The placement (order) of words on a page has a major impact on the meaning. Disorientation can also be attributed to both the positive and negative impacts of "seeing the world differently" that most dyslexics would recognise. In my job I often foresee a problem or opportunity very early in a process, it’s obvious to me, while others need it explaining in simple terms. — Dave

Response:

Thanks for sharing what you’ve worked through.  I AGREE. The danger you touched upon has been discussed ad infinitum in my household and I try to argue that there’s something mentally different going on.  Since this is an Asian household when dyslexia has yet to be a part of the cultural literacy, the conclusion drawn is that certain unfortunate personality quirks have been passed on. No one believes that a dyslexic needs help if the person is a high functioning one.  No one believes a 2-year old’s description of certain feelings and thoughts that are actually an accurate assessment of the problem; being dismissed when the frightening experience is real, can shut you down and turn you inward. I don’t even bother to talk to "normal" "intelligent" people about this.  I feel that you have to be quiet and hopefully age through it. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Dyslexia I’m not a doctor of any sort, or even a college grad.  However, I am a 31 year old dyslexic who has a bad tendency to over analyze.  I like to think I’ve lead a pretty interesting life and I’m pretty sure my intelect is above average. I’m far from what most would consider successful.  Infact, perhaps the greatest lessons i have to give are in what not to do. It’s an easy thing to attribute all of ones faults to a single thing.  That really isn’t my intention, nor my wish.  These are all just possibilities I put forth and welcome feedback too.  In truth I could blame my mistakes to a myriad of folly and weakness.   I’d also like to add… It’s been far from all bad.  Richard Bach wrote in illusions that people seek out problems for the gifts the give.  I do believe my dyslexia has defiantly had gifts to offer. Only recently, standing in the midst of the debris and ruin of a life, have I started to analyze what part dyslexia might have played in my life.  Oddly enough, the first time I ever realized what profound effect dyslexia had on my thinking was when I was in my 20’s.   I was driving in my car when my girlfriend pointed out that I hit the same two pot holes every day when I left the house.  Incredulously, she pointed out that they were always in the same spot and with a nominal amount of concentration they could be avoided.  I was aghast at this revelation.  In the four years of driving that road I’d been rattled repeatedly by these pitfalls, yet never once set myself to memorizing their placement.   I set myself to memorizing where they were and was able to mis them about 65 percent of the time. At the time I knew that little revelation was important but I wasn’t sure why. Over the next few years I went the way that made sense to me.  I never found a career I was happy with, lost the girlfriend I really cared about and found my life in shambles.   It was at that point I joined the military. In truth, I think that may be the force that caused me to sit back and really analyze the  nature of my disability. Unlike being born with out an arm or a hand  dyslexia is a very subtle handicap.  So subtle I’m sure millions have gone through life undiagnosed.   I come from a family that doesn’t admit weakness and tends to fight there way through it.  So, I never tried to use my dyslexia as an excuse.  As a result, I think I’ve wasted much time stumbling through life when I could have used my energies in ways that would have furthered my life much better. I don’t see dyslexia as a danger that will one day cause you to have a sudden death.  I see it more as a danger to the way you look at life. I have read a bit on dyslexia mostly to see if there was some way I could help my son do well in his life.  I remember reading that it has to do with the way the brain stores information.  I’m not sure this is totally correct because it seems like if the mind was apt to store things wrongly it would adapt and be more consistent.   I can go down the same hallway a hundred times and know the door is on the right.  Yet, out of the blue (maybe in a time of stress) am positive it’s on the left.  If it was stored incorrectly in the brain it seems like I’d always go left.  Instead, It pops up at unexpected times and seems as natural as anything else simple that you know. As a result, we learn to not rely on memory.  I tend to rely on my ability to figure out what I can.  like a person who is denied his sight, all my other sences seem to become sharper.  I’m very good at figuring out things…  but memorization and attention to the small details are things I’ve neglected due to the unreliability of my memory. I’ve often compared myself to a computer with vast "computing" skills, but no memory.   As a result… I believe I’ve come to live a live that is not sequential. Simple order, such as abc, are ignored out of normal nature. In effect, what I’m saying is I believe dyslexia has affected my view of cause and effect. On the bright side, I see life from a very nonlinear view and am often considered somewhat of a genius for my original take on normal situations. Yet, on the flip side, I’m often considered a moron for missing the obvious. I meant to write quite a bit more, but I think I aired my thoughts on this subject well enough.     I’ll save other stories about getting turned around and driving on the wrong side of the rode for later.     I’ll appreciate anyone’s input on any of the idea’s I put forth.

Response:

Question:

Dyslexia Linked to Region of Brain Mon Jul 22, 8:02 AM ET By The Associated Press

Ah well, must be biological then eh? <wink Drag em in and drug them up then got to do something with stock prices tumbling The researchers cautioned the technology – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – can’t be used to diagnose dyslexia.

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Dyslexia Linked to Region of Brain Mon Jul 22, 8:02 AM ET By The Associated Press Ah well, must be biological then eh? <wink

is there an alternative? — I’ve read that I flew up the hills and mountains of France. But you don’t fly up a hill. You struggle slowly and painfully up a hill, and maybe, if you work very hard, you get to the top ahead of everybody else.                         Lance Armstrong                    Cyclist and cancer survivor http://home.gwi.net/~mdmpsyd/index.htm remove peterhood69 for mail

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Dyslexia Linked to Region of Brain Mon Jul 22, 8:02 AM ET By The Associated Press Ah well, must be biological then eh? <wink Drag em in and drug them up then

No treatment except remediation works for dyslexia.  They have to be taught to read differently from other children and it takes longer.  No medication to date will help with dyslexia.  Only if they have ADD as well will giving them medication do them any good. There is also supposed to be a genetic marker in one of the chromosomes which if it is present in all children with dyslexia then it might be more promising.  There is one for ADD supposedly and it might be more useful for a diagnosis.  If there are genetic differences between kids with these kind of disorders then it may account for the neurological ones and then we could develop a genetic test to find out whether a child would benefit from remediation or even medication before they ever entered school and tried to learn how to read. It would also end this silly squabbling over whether or not ADD and dyslexia are legitimate problems.  Then people would have to accept both of them exist whether they liked it on not. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – got to do something with stock prices tumbling The researchers cautioned the technology can’t be used to diagnose dyslexia.

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Dyslexia Linked to Region of Brain Mon Jul 22, 8:02 AM ET By The Associated Press Ah well, must be biological then eh? <wink Drag em in and drug them up then

we could develop a genetic test to find out whether a child would benefit from remediation or even medication before they ever entered school and tried to learn how to read.

absolutely horrific and chilling thought. Of course you can and do drug them in the womb by refusing to give up your own drugs whilst pregnant! It would also end this silly squabbling over whether or not ADD and dyslexia are legitimate problems.  Then people would have to accept both of them exist whether they liked it on not.

the debate is not about whether they are legitimate problems but whethere they are identifiable medical diseases neccessitating a lifetime of drugging with the concomitant ruination of the childs life and health. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – got to do something with stock prices tumbling The researchers cautioned the technology can’t be used to diagnose dyslexia.

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Dyslexia Linked to Region of Brain Mon Jul 22, 8:02 AM ET By The Associated Press Ah well, must be biological then eh? <wink is there an alternative?

Send them to a psychologist who abuses the mentally ill on the net and still has the training wheels on. That should fix the problem.

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Dyslexia Linked to Region of Brain Mon Jul 22, 8:02 AM ET By The Associated Press Ah well, must be biological then eh? <wink is there an alternative?

Send them to a psychologist who abuses the mentally ill on the net and still has the training wheels on. That should fix the problem. yeah that should do the trick 04901, license number PS1040 at http://www.informe.org/olr/olrcomplain.htm Licencing board: State Board of Examiners of Psychologists) Newsgroups: alt.support.attn-deficit View: Complete Thread (4 articles) | Original Format is everyone who posts on ASAD supposed to have ADHD? I guess you haven’t been following for long. I read the FAQ. "This newsgroup was formed by and for people who have been affected by ADD." How have YOU been affected by ADHD?

Well for a start he is making an awful lot of $$$ out of it. Quite a racket persuading people their kids have a non-existent "disease" that needs "treating" by him! LOL once hes finished paying for the "degree" he bought, he will become a wealthy man,especially if his dream of being allowed to personally drug children and get drug company kickbacks is realized. http://www.quackwatch.com/ You can complain on-line about Mark Morin calling himself "Dr.": http://www.informe.org/olr/olrcomplain.htm (Licencing board: State Board of Examiners of Psychologists Name: Mark D. Morin, Psy.D. Address:  Waterville, ME 04901 License number:  PS1040) I also recommend mailing a thick stack of printouts to:  Complaints & Investigations Division  35 State House Station  Augusta, Maine 04333-0035  Telephone (207) 624-8660  FAX (207) 624-8637 Remember to mention his phoney academic degrees, and his desire to "diagnose" over the net and to prescribe Schedule II meds. http://www.quackwatch.com/ —- Google Home – Advertise with Us – Search

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Dyslexia Linked to Region of Brain Mon Jul 22, 8:02 AM ET By The Associated Press Scientists have found new evidence linking the reading problem called dyslexia to glitches in a particular region of the brain. The evidence comes from brain scans of 70 dyslexic and 74 non-impaired children, ages 7 to 18. It follows a 1998 brain scan study that reported the link in adults. The new work, by including children as young as 7, shows the brain problem is present at the beginning of reading ability, said researcher Sally Shaywitz of Yale University. She and colleagues reported the work in the July 15 issue of the journal Biological Psychiatry. They used functional magnetic resonance imaging, which reveals how hard various parts of the brain are working during particular tasks. The researchers cautioned the technology can’t be used to diagnose dyslexia. Their results showed that the better a child performed in tests of reading ability, the greater activation he or she showed in a particular brain area when trying to sound out words. That emphasizes that this region is key to skilled reading, as prior studies had suggested, Shaywitz said. Children with dyslexia showed significantly less activation than normal in this area, a finding that fits with prior work, the researchers said. The area, just behind the left ear, is called the left occipito-temporal region. Scientists are now trying to define just what circuitry is involved, as well as what goes wrong in dyslexia, Shaywitz said. Older dyslexic children showed more activity in a different brain region than younger dyslexic children did. That suggests the other area was stepping in to compensate, allowing the children to read but only with great effort, Shaywitz said.

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Question:

Hi Sorry I gave the wrong address for Learn Direct – it should be www.learndirect.co.uk I hope it helps Tim

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – this is the last resort to find help for my fiance. he dropped out of school his junior year and has always struggled with dyslexia. he is hesitant to further his education because he feels he is stupid. he is now twenty and feels there is no hope for a good job. are htere any programs out there for adults with these kind of problems? lost in reno nev

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of kids who are Dyslexic because in many schools their dyslexia is totally denied despite the best possible diagnosis from Staines Institute etc

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi This is my first newsgroup message, so excuse me if I have done things the wrong way. I am a UK teacher with dyslexic tendences, and have a class helper who is also very dyslexic. She is on a program with LearningDirect which is helping her. You could try them at www.learningdirect.co.uk  They will be able to put her in touch with someone who can help. I know some of the feelings your fiance has got. It has taken me 30 years to accept that I am not thick, but different. I have a lot of ways to help people and achieve. What ever your fiance to do, he will give to others. Tim this is the last resort to find help for my fiance. he dropped out of school his junior year and has always struggled with dyslexia. he is hesitant to further his education because he feels he is stupid. he is now twenty and feels there is no hope for a good job. are htere any programs out there for adults with these kind of problems? lost in reno nev

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Thank you Pamela – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Um, Ted the "lost in Reno NV" might give one a clue? -pam : cc’d by email : don’t despair : BUT, to get any help from this group, we have to know WHERE you are. : The internet is international : : : this is the last resort to find help for my fiance. he dropped out of : school his junior year and has always struggled with dyslexia. he is : hesitant to further his education because he feels he is stupid. he is : now twenty and feels there is no hope for a good job. are htere any : programs out there for adults with these kind of problems? lost in reno : nev

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Back to the original post… : : : : this is the last resort to find help for my fiance. he dropped out of : : school his junior year and has always struggled with dyslexia. he is : : hesitant to further his education because he feels he is stupid. he is : : now twenty and feels there is no hope for a good job. are htere any : : programs out there for adults with these kind of problems? lost in reno : : nev My first question is, was your fianc