What is dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a learning disability that affects the structural alignment of the brain. A learning disability is a disorder in the mental processes used for qualitative or quantitative reasoning. The disorder occurs in people of normal or above-normal intelligence. It is not a result of an emotional disturbance. When you have dyslexia, you are challenged when facing the obstacle of comprehending written words, therefore you also have a  difficulty writing. Those with dyslexic brains do not recognize that words are made up of small units of sound, known as phonemes. Dyslexia can be diagnosed by taking a basic diagnostic cognitive test. This test not only informs us of whether you have dyslexia or not, but to what degree of dyslexia you have.

 

How many people are affected by dyslexia?

Dyslexia affects many people in different ways. At least 15 percent of the population is affected by a significant difficulty like learning to read. It has also been proven that 22 percent of the dyslexic population lives in poverty with 12 percent of all adults that live below the poverty line having dyslexia. Dyslexia most commonly affects men atv a 4:5 ratio.

 

Why do people have dyslexia?

Many do not know why people have dyslexia; however scientists and neurologists say that dyslexia is rooted in the left side of the brain thus making the under compensation of white and gray matter in the left parietotemporal lobe the makeup of a dyslexic brain. It is very common for a learning disability to be hereditary, especially dyslexia, the most common learning disability. Scientists have wondered for many years how to discover dyslexia at a very early age. Recent studies have shown that there is a blood test to discover if you have a learning disability. The blood of the parents and the child must be taken and examined, especially the DNA of the parents. This new development is helpful because if the learning disability is discovered earlier, the parents are able to get specialized training and place the child in a special development program. Dyslexia is usually diagnosed after age six because it is acceptable if you cannot read or write before age six, but with this blood test you can know if you have a learning disability much earlier.

 

What learning aids help those with dyslexia?

There are many helpful tools that teach those with dyslexia in a style that is more comprehensive for them. For example, text-to-speech pens are helpful to those with dyslexia because they can understand the phonemes or sounds of the words they highlight with their pens and they understand how the sounds looks therefore helping them to write. This is a form of learning called auditory processing which means that when someone hears something they understand it more than doing it or looking at it. Another example of learning is called kinesthetic learning which is when someone feels or does the action they need to understand. For example, instead of sitting in a classroom being taught to fix an electrical problem they would do it or watch someone do it. Kinesthetic learning is very hands-on and makes the person understand what it is they are doing.

 

How do we help those with dyslexia rise from poverty?

The Elevator Project can help those with dyslexia because through our customized and tailored floor plan that specifically addresses the needs of those with dyslexia. Learn more about out special needs floor plan and how it can support you here.