Dyslexia - Why do MY Children Have It?

     Let me start out by saying that out of our 9 children, 3...possibly 4, of our children have dyslexia.  This did not stop our 3rd oldest daughter from going to college where they gave her help for what they call her "disability," nor did it stop her from becoming a Certified Nurses Assistant, a Photographer, as well as a wife & mother.  As well, we will not let it stop our younger children who struggle with it on a daily basis, from doing what they want to do too.

What is dyslexia?     Dyslexia is a specific developmental disability that alters the way the brain processes written material.  According to The International Dyslexia Association (IDA), dyslexia is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities.  Studies show that individuals with dyslexia process information in a different area of the brain than do non-dyslexics.

     There is no single pattern of difficulty that affects every dyslexic person.  Dyslexia can cause a variety of issues.  I found a wonderful checklist here called 37 Common Characteristics of Dyslexia.   

What causes dyslexia?
     Dyslexia is thought to be an inherited condition. It may be genetic, but how and if it comes to be varies considerably from individual to individual. Sometimes dyslexia can be attributed to a wide range of environmental factors, like birth trauma, problems during pregnancy, brain injuries, infections and toxins. However, although considerable progress has been made, the exact mechanism that causes genes to contribute to the multi-faceted dyslexic condition is still unknown. Research shows dyslexia affects about 10% of the population.

Is there a cure for dyslexia?
     According to the Mayo Clinic website, there is no cure for dyslexia. It's a lifelong condition caused by inherited traits that affect how your brain works. However, most children with dyslexia can succeed in school with tutoring or a specialized education program. Emotional support also plays an important role.

      Dyslexia is a medical diagnosis. Therefore, public schools don't test for it and often don't have programs to address it.
             
                  Thank you to Melissa's research at:
         http://reflectionsfromdrywoodcreek.blogspot.com