Dyslexia has been little understood or noted for most of recorded history. Almost all of the recorded history of dyslexia has been in the last 25 years.
Dyslexics see things differently. Their eyes are the same as those of non-dyslexics, but their brains interpret the signals differently. Because of this they learn differently and need to be taught in the way they learn, not in the traditional mold.
For roughly the last 15 years, as part of a program to help in overcoming dyslexia, school-age kids have all been screened for signs of dyslexia in children. Those identified as “probables” went through a full-blown test for dyslexia. Those dyslexics thus identified were subsequently taught according to the way they needed to be taught.
Those who went through grade school more than 15 years ago almost all bear the scars of being hammered into molds that did not fit. They were ridiculed for their differences, looked at as retarded (which most are definitely not!), slow learners, etc. They were embarrassed and learn to hide their differences.
Millions of adult dyslexics today have never taken a dyslexia test. They still struggle with learning and reading difficulties that could be easily overcome if they were only known. A half-hour dyslexia test could make enormous improvements in their self-esteem and abilities.
One of the problems in helping dyslexics is that there are many different types of dyslexia. Dyslexia takes many different forms; all dyslexics are different. They cannot be readily sorted into categories and then treated the same as a group.
For adult dyslexics (part of the 2+ million) out there a dyslexic test could open up a whole new world of how to easily do things they had never been able to do before. Many adult dyslexics are identified when one of their children tests positive for dyslexia in school. Since dyslexia runs in families, parents of newly-identified dyslexics are often encouraged to be tested. Doing so has opened up new possibilities, new abilities, new careers for many.
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Disclaimer: Nothing in the above explanations is intended to be or represented to be or should be construed to be any form of medical advice. The information herein has been gleaned from medical journals, news articles in the popular press and other freely-available public sources. It is presented here for informational purposes only. For any medical advice the reader is urged to consult with his or her licensed physician or other medical specialist.
By Samuel R. Long