Dyslexia often makes everyday tasks challenging. We have listed 7 activities here that may be easy for most individuals and how they directly affect those that struggle with this visual reading disorder.
- Taking tests: As many of you know reading is one of the main challenges with dyslexia. This means that something as simple as taking a quiz or a test in school could be exhausting for a dyslexic. Words can become jumbled up, look squiggly or as if they are moving on the page, making it difficult to concentrate. Imagine if you were taking your SAT prior to college! Test taking is difficult with not only these problems, but imagine taking tests with severe fatigue and nausea too!
- Number work: Any task dealing with numbers can be equally difficult when you are dyslexic. This is because numbers may appear to be reversed or upside down and when working word problems the reading as usual will be an issue.
- Short-term memory: While you may not realize that short-term memory can be a challenge with dyslexics, it’s every bit as challenging as reading or working with numbers. There are many types of dyslexia, and in many cases where one has trouble reading or working with numbers it may also be related to the short-term memory. Dyslexia is also a visual processing disorder (neurological) as well as a visual disorder.
- Taking road trips: Those of us that are not dyslexic take this for granted, as those with dyslexia have trouble not only reading letters and numbers, but the city names and icons for interstates may appear to be too close together. This may make it difficult for dyslexics to read and make sense of maps and directions. Traveling without a sense of direction obviously results in frustration.
- Interpersonal communication: A dyslexic individual will naturally overcompensate for any challenges in reading with their creative mind. This can present challenges in job interviews when they are unable to comprehend what is being said, or when they are asked to fill out a questionnaire or application. It may also make a resume appear to be in disarray if they don’t have someone to help them write it.
- Driving: For obvious reasons, dyslexia can affect ones ability to drive. Viewing important signs like highway exits, cautionary signs, and other important driving details can be significantly impaired through the disability.
- Learning the alphabet: While many activities may affect those later in life that were never diagnosed with dyslexia, activities earlier on in life like learning the alphabet are also a struggle. What many parents take for granted, some parents have to struggle with. Learning the alphabet is an important part of one’s reading ability for life, and if your child struggles to learn their alphabet, dyslexia could be one cause.