Dyslexia Diagnosis: Three Actions to Take

 A Diagnosis Brings Relief and Panic

Parents who consult with me following a dyslexia diagnosis report two emotions: relief that they know why the student is struggling to read, and panic about the resources needed. Both responses are realistic. Happily, the panic can be laid aside once the parent has more information. From my experience as a dyslexia tutor, I offer three actions to take. 

Action One: Share the dyslexia diagnosis with your child.

Children want and need to know why they find reading so much more difficult than their classmates. Furthermore, they know if you are hiding something. Emphasize that dyslexia is not a disease! It’s a marvelous brain difference that comes with all kinds of advantages. Discuss the idea of neurodiversity — that every brain is different so we all need each other. Before discussing the diagnosis with your child, I recommend reading The Dyslexic Advantage: Unlocking the Hidden Potential of the Dyslexic Brain, by Brock and Fernette Eide. People with dyslexia are usually highly intelligent and creative. As the Eide’s prove, dyslexia comes with a “sea of strengths.” Furthermore, people with dyslexia can and do learn to read well. They need more time and a different approach.

Action Two: Focus on the child’s gifts and passions 

After a dyslexia diagnosis, focus first on the child’s gifts. Family resources of both time and money may be stretched, so parents often consider cutting out music, dance, skiing, or horseback riding to create time and money for a reading tutor. I’m a reading tutor, but I warn parents NOT to remove activities in which children excel and find joy. It’s better to skip the tutoring than to make every day a string of tasks the child does poorly. None of us want to live that way. Making children toil endlessly at what they do worst leads to depression, frustration, and anger, not to better reading.

So first, determine with the child what activities are most important and choose at least one to keep. Second, protect the child’s time. School and homework can easily rob children of play and sleep. Play and sleep are even more crucial for a dyslexic child than for others. A wonderful TED talk by Sir Ken Robinson, Do Schools Kill Creativity, convinced me of the importance of this step.

Action Three: Decide on a plan to provide academic and reading support

Classrooms often fail learners with a dyslexia diagnosis. Parents seek help from a system with no resources to provide it. Parents may be told that the child gets reading help by missing science or art to go to a reading group. This seldom increases reading skills or happiness! What to do? Parents may hire a reading tutor for 3-5 hours a week of reading instruction and homework support. That’s expensive but often effective.

Some parents decide that since they spend hours helping with homework every day anyway, they’ll home school the child, at least until he or she can read well. I did this with my dyslexic daughter. If you think homeschooling might work, check out my article, Four Reasons to Home School a Dyslexic Child, and One Reason Not To. Other parents find a school for dyslexia. This is also expensive, but scholarships may be available. Parents may keep the child in the classroom, but ask the teacher to avoid having the child read aloud. The child will need extensive homework help as well. If work is sent home, the parent can do it orally with the child, reading aloud as the child tracks along. Some schools allow dyslexic students to use Learning Ally audiobooks. Most importantly, parents CAN teach dyslexic children to read! This task requires one-on-one work, so it’s unfair to expect a classroom teacher with 20 or more students to do it. My book, Dyslexia Tool Kit for Tutors and Parents Expanded Edition: What to do when phonics isn’t enough, provides a simple, easy-to-follow guide for parents.  

Dyslexia Diagnosis Begins an Exciting Journey

Now that you know your child is dyslexic, you can put the worry about what’s wrong behind you. You can set out on a wonderful journey to discover your child’s talents. Best of all, you can assure your child that dyslexia is a superpower because it really does come with amazing creative gifts. Many of our greatest inventors, entrepreneurs, actors, musicians, dancers, doctors, and researchers are dyslexic. They are great at what they do BECAUSE they are dyslexic, not in spite of it. I recommend reading some books about dyslexic people with your child. Read aloud and let the child follow along. One of my favorites is the Hank Zipzer Collection by dyslexic actor, Henry Winkler. And definitely check out www.madebydyslexia.org where you’ll find top-quality videos explaining the power of dyslexic thinking.

By Yvonna Graham, M.Ed.

www.dyslexiakit.net

@GrahamYvonna

Dyslexic people learn to read better if they make use of audiobooks! Find free classics at Librivox, or newer titles professionally read for $15/mo at Audible. And don’t forget the public library!