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Dyslexia Awareness Month

KoolMinds Team
October is Dyslexia Awareness Month! Our team here at KoolMinds wanted to take this opportunity to create awareness, share information and focus on a subject that we are very passionate about.

The Mayo Clinic defines dyslexia as "a learning disorder that involves difficulty reading due to problems identifying speech sounds and learning how they relate to letters and words (decoding). Also called reading disability, dyslexia affects areas of the brain that process language." i Dyslexia is very common. In the United States, NIH research has shown that dyslexia affects 5-10% of the population, with estimates as high as 17%ii. Dyslexia is a lifelong condition but there are supports, teaching approaches, and strategies to help them manage their challenges and thrive in school and beyond.

Common Signs of Dyslexia

Young Children:

  • Delayed Speech
  • Mixing up the sounds and syllables in long words
  • Chronic ear infections
  • Severe reactions to childhood illnesses
  • Constant confusion of left versus right
  • Late establishing a dominant hand
  • Difficulty to tie shoes
  • Trouble memorizing their address, phone number, or the alphabet
  • Can't create words that rhyme
  • A close relative with Dyslexia

School-aged Children:

  • Dysgraphia (slow, non-automatic handwriting that is difficult to read)
  • Letter or number reversals continuing past the end of first grade
  • Slow, choppy, inaccurate reading
  • Terrible spelling
  • Often can't remember sight words or homonyms
  • Difficulty telling time with a clock with hands
  • Trouble with multiplication facts
  • When speaking, difficulty finding the right word
  • Extremely messy room, backpack, and desk
  • Dreads going to school

Teenagers and Adults: 

(all the above symptoms, plus:)
  • Limited vocabulary in writing
  • Extremely poor written expression
  • Unable to master a foreign language
  • Difficulty reading printed music
  • Slow reader
  • Dreads writing memos or letters
  • Difficulty putting thoughts onto paper
  • Terrible speller
  • May have to read a page 2 or 3 times before understanding it

Resources to learn more about Dyslexia

Here are some great articles that will teach you more about dyslexia:
Click on the links below to learn more about these organizations that provide information and advocacy for people with learning disabilities:

Dyslexia Awareness Month Events & Resources

Join us on October 15, 2021 at 9:30 AM Pacific Time for a free virtual round table discussion.
The Wisconsin Branch of the International Dyslexia Association is pleased to announce our 2021 virtual annual conference, titled, “Facets of Dyslexia”! 
  Cost of the event:  $50-$75
There are a few different virtual races happening this month in honor of dyslexia awareness. 
This calendar from The Literacy Nest has resources to help understand what Dyslexia is and to spread awareness.

Click here to learn more about Dyslexia and contact us to find out how KoolMinds can help!

Sources:

[i] Mayo Clinic Staff. Dyslexia. 1998-2021 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER) Accessed 4 October 2021. Dyslexia - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic
[ii] University of Michigan. Dyslexia Myths and Facts. Accessed  4 October 2021. Dyslexia Myths and Facts | Dyslexia Help at the University of Michigan (umich.edu)

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