QUESTION: My daughter is in elementary school. She asked if there is a surgery that can remove dyslexia from her brain. How should I respond?

ANSWER:

When you get a question like this from your child, it breaks your heart. Your thoughts immediately shoot in many directions. Every negative circumstance possible engulfs your thinking.

The biggest worries highjack your mind. You begin to wonder, “Is she thinking of hurting herself?”

Then feelings of helplessness join the fear and trepidation that has already taken up residence in your mind.

Anxious minds don’t think clearly. So, the first thing to do is to calm yourself.

Once you’re calm, hug your daughter, validate her frustration and pain, then schedule a time to talk to her.

Choose a peaceful and calm place… somewhere she enjoys going.

Here are some things to address in your conversation.

1. First, help her understand that dyslexia is not a disease, therefore, cannot be cured using the methods of the medical industry.
2. Use an illustration to explain the inconsistencies of dyslexia.
   • For example, “”Dyslexia is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get. Some might be filled with caramel, others with coconut or fudge, and then there are the ones that make your stomach turn (whichever chocolate she dislikes).”
   • Highlight the fact that dyslexia can be confusing to say the least.
3. Choose one skill she excels in and praise her for it. Show how she positively contributes to the family.
   • Do whatever you can to reduce her feelings of inadequacy.
4. Create a schedule for homework together.
   • Let her choose to do the subjects she likes and excels in first.
   • Work in short time intervals, like 10-15 minutes (use a timer).
5. Then, emphasize that dyslexia is not all bad. People with dyslexia are often creative, have good imaginations, and are very intelligent.
   • Show her videos of people who have excelled in their field, despite the challenges they had in school.
   • For example, the NASA research engineer and author, Lawrence Schneider.
     • https://bit.ly/3CUhQM8
     • https://bit.ly/3ELoHbi   

When you are the parent of a child with dyslexia, it can be hard to stay positive. The reality is that life with your child who learns differently is not always easy. She struggles in school and may have trouble making friends due to her immature social skills. However, there are many benefits too!

Here’s the deal.

Dyslexia is the good, the bad, and the ugly – all in one!

Let me explain:

The Good:  Dyslexic children often excel at visualizing and thinking outside the box. They are excellent problem-solvers. They may be talented artists or inventors with great ideas!

The Bad: Reading can be really hard for some children – not because they aren’t smart enough to understand it, but because their brains just interpret instruction and process information differently from other children’s.

The Ugly: Many people think that dyslexics are dumb or stupid because they don’t read well in school and say terrible things to them.

We all know there are many misconceptions about dyslexia. I’ve been working with children for over 25 years and it has never ceased to amaze me how creative, intelligent, empathetic, open-minded, determined and resilient these children can be when given the chance!

When my daughter was going to be retained in the second grade, I had her tested that summer and she was identified with dyslexia. I worked with her at home and she graduated high school as valedictorian of her class.

This success inspired me to create my upcoming program for parents where we will explore Dyslexia – The Good, The Bad & The Ugly – so that you have a better understanding of what your children with dyslexia face every day at school and learn some strategies for working with them at home.  Help them feel more confident, less self-critical, and experience learning success.

Comment below to tell me about your experience as a parent or teacher of a child who is also living with dyslexia.