Learning disabilities can often be a challenge when day to day activities involve a series of tasks that prove to be difficult. One of the more common disabilities is dyslexia.
Dyslexia is a reading disability that occurs when the brain does not properly recognize and process certain symbols to develop accurate recognition patterns. In the U.S alone, nearly 20 percent of the population is affected by dyslexia, which is the most common cause of reading, writing and spelling difficulties.
Reading is considered a complex and challenging task for our brains, and therefore often raises a number of challenges that children struggle with. What you may actually be surprised to discover is that 1 in 5 Americans have some form of reading disability, affecting children and adults, but with the right help, developing successful learning strategies can be of great use.
I have a learning disability. I am dyslexic. I am also a licensed clinical social worker and I have created and operated PlayTogether NYC, which is an innovative play-based inclusion preschool for children. In addition, I also maintain a small private practice for kids and parents.
As an adult, my dyslexia is often bothersome and annoying, but it is not painful. Due to the condition, I make simple mistakes in casual emails, type the wrong words sometimes or pick incorrectly from the list of options in spell checker programs. This is a source of amusement for my close friends when occasional errors do occur. Yet, it also poses a problem for me when I buy the wrong item in the grocery store due to packaging similarities. For example, I might buy a regular bottle of coke when I meant to buy diet.
One reason I love living in New York City: I do not have to drive! Dyslexia can often create difficulties for local navigation, and sometimes I will not be able to remember a location, even if I have been there hundreds of times. For those with dyslexia, it is as if the visual slides of the brain’s memory become distorted to the point that it becomes difficult to sort them out again for clarity. In a busy city like New York, where everyone walks from location to location, this can be a little annoying, and rarely evolved into a bigger problem, but having an iPhone on hand helps tremendously.
These are all minor annoyances, and often come with the price of doing business in life. As a child in school, my learning disability did however make things hard for me. Being different was extremely painful. What parents do not understand is that no matter how much children feel supported at home, academic atmospheres are always drastically different. Children are extremely sensitive to the ways in which they are different, and being different is always hard for children who are still managing to develop their self-esteem.
I remember that as a child, after a certain point, it simply did not matter to me what my parents said, because I felt misunderstood. I struggled to learn new games, and it was hard for me to learn how to play card games and board games in a social setting. This often resulted in the need for extra practice at home with my parents. Another learning challenge was reading and spelling as well as other children. Third grade was especially difficult for me because my friends were reading books at a faster rate than me. They would discuss the books and play out scenes from them, and I was left out. Children can also be very brash about learning difficulties by teasing others, which also affects a child’s self-esteem.
My short message to parents who have children with disabilities is this: Understand that learning disabilities will be painful for your children no matter what you do. All your assurances that everything is okay will not change this emotional fact. It is important that as a parent, you acknowledge the painful difficulties your child is experiencing and make room for it.
Remind your child about his or her strengths and unique abilities and talents. Affirm them in every way you can as often as you can, but do this knowing that it will not erase the pain. While dealing with learning challenges like dyslexia can lead to frustration and self-doubt, the good news is that dyslexia can be identified early and kids who have it can be taught to become successful readers. Self-acceptance is something we all have to work at. Acknowledging pain and difference is the first step in self-acceptance, and children deserve to be understood in this capacity. For kids with learning disabilities, this acknowledgement is a critical first step in a lifelong process, and through practicing useful ways to overcome and achieve, your child can continue to grow into their own success.
For more information and discussion, or a consultation, stop by PlayTogether NYC or contact founder Nyla Kamlet at nyla.kamlet@playtogethernyc.com.
