It has been extremely disconcerting to read about dyslexia on my shift tonight. I mean.. I knew I had it, but I didn’t ralize that most of the ways that I compute things are not the way everyone else does. If you have time, please look at the entry and let me know that they’re right… that these things are abnormal.
- Dyslexias include the inability to name letters, to read words or sentences, or to recognize words directly even though they can be sounded out.
- Appears bright, highly intelligent, and articulate but unable to read, write, or spell at grade level.
- Feels dumb; has poor self-esteem; hides or covers up weaknesses with ingenious compensatory strategies; easily frustrated and emotional about school reading or testing. (me being convinced I’m retarded, anyone?)
- Seems to “Zone out” or daydream often; gets lost easily or loses track of time.
- Has extended hearing; hears things not said or apparent to others; easily distracted by sounds.
- Trouble with writing or copying; pencil grip is unusual; handwriting varies or is illegible.
- Clumsy, uncoordinated, poor at ball or team sports; difficulties with fine and/or gross motor skills and tasks; prone to motion-sickness.
- Shows dependence on finger counting and other tricks when doing math; knows answers, but can’t do it on paper.
- Prone to ear infections; sensitive to foods, additives, and chemical products.
Along with some others…
This also explains a lot, too.
i’ve spent the last three summers working at a camp for special needs children, so the myth of normalcy is particularly interesting to me.
if my job has taught me anything, it has taught me that everyone is abnormal. some of my fellow counselors are adhd, some have developmental delays of their own, i have many autistic traits…if we had grown up in different circumstances, i’m sure many of us would’ve faced the same problems our campers face (though really, when we think about it, most of us still do :).) ultimately, it just isn’t helpful to think of ourselves and others as abnormal when all of our obstacles stem from failures in communication, failures which are often challenging to overcome, but never impossible to deconstruct. sure, if you’re dyslexic, you’re going to face some difficulties that some other people won’t face. but those people–whom you often presume to be normal–have their own communication struggles to face, evn if their struggle can be narrowed down to simple narrow mindedness or a self-centered perspective.
on another level, failures in communication serve as a foundation for so many different kinds of expression…different kinds of communication, really. when you consider the ways that the static between two perspectives can be utilized, built up into something greater, the importance of “normalcy” within either perspective diminishes, don’t you think?
Interesting – I’m ‘mildly’ dislexic myself – but I’d never really read up on it. Beyond the odd switching letters or not being able to tell which way the tail of the letter “L” should go I have probelms not recognizing words until someone speaks them (sometimes) or not being able to pronounce words if I’ve never heard them spoken. This latter crops up partly due to my learning new words by reading them vs. hearing them – I read much faster than I learned to talk.
As for coordination – I’m miserable at it. Years of martial arts and dance have helped but I still have a deep hatred of ball related sports. And my pencil grip was really weird. 😉
i’m dyslexic AND discalculative… but a lot of that doesn’t apply to me… strange…
I’m not dyslexic at all but several of the symptoms apply to me. Especially extended hearing. Say my name first or I don’t hear you.
I’m also incompetent with double letters and my memory tends to left-right mirror things. These are all related to my other problems, though
you know.. 6 of those apply to me. so, at least you know you aren’t alone. but i will say we hide it quite well…
we can put stickers on your helmet
I found your LJ through Thea’s- I’m one of the 3204 Matts that work at STC and I just wanted to say that I’m putting you on my LJ friends list so that I can read your posts- they’re very amusing =)
I also have never been diagnosed with a learning disorder but I have at least six of the symptoms you listed. Four are in common with autism. I think this goes to show that there are a lot of people with different ways of learning or processing the life experience who in turn get assigned some pathology because it is easier to deal with “normal” and “people with problems” than just “a diverse smattering of individuals.”
It would be interesting to know who decided on the appropriate amount of daydreaming as to come up with an idea of too much.
~Matt Gentry