As a parent of a Dyslexic child, I have suddenly been immersed in a topic I never thought I would know about. Like many things, if it does not affect us personally, often times we don’t have much knowledge of it.

But when my daughter was diagnosed with Dyslexia, I wanted to know what she was going through. I wanted to grow in empathy, so I could help her, encourage her, and support her in this journey. I wanted her to know she was not alone; we were in this together.

According to the International Dyslexia Association, here is the official definition of Dyslexia:

“Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.”

Breaking that down, Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability, often resulting in people having difficulty with reading, spelling, writing, and pronunciation. It is considered a learning disability, because it challenges a person’s academic success in a traditional classroom setting. However, it does not affect intelligence, and with special instruction, people with Dyslexia can succeed in school and professional settings, including art, design, mechanics, music, sales, sports, and more.

As we journey through this month together, my hope is not only to share the information I am learning with you … I hope that you will share information you have learned with me, too!

Tomorrow, we will take a look at specific signs at different ages.

For a complete list of topics and links, visit the landing page for 31 Days: One Mom’s Journey With Dyslexia or click the square image below.