HEALTH AND WELLNESS

  I have a learning disability –dyslexia. This condition, which affects my father, my mother, and my three younger brothers, has made it difficult for me to read my native Danish, and school proved to be a real struggle. Nevertheless, I have received much help and encouragement, especially from my family. WHAT IS DYSLEXIA? The word “dyslexia” comes from Greek and means “poor speech.” A life-long condition, dyslexia is a language-related disability that especially involves reading. People who have dyslexia tend to have difficulty making the connection between letters and the sounds those letters represent. Specific symptoms, however, may differ from person to person. WHAT CAUSES DYSLEXIA? The exact causes remain unclear, although heredity is a factor. While studies indicate abnormal brain development and function, dyslexia is not linked to general intelligence or lack of the desire to learn. In fact, sufferers are often gifted in areas not requiring strong language skills. HOW IS DYSLEX

                  Steven has difficulty reading. Every time he knows that he will be asked to read loud in class, he develops a stomachache. Despite her teacher’s urgings, Maria has problems writing legibly. It takes her hours to complete her homework. Noah reads the same school assignments repeatedly. Still, he forgets the material and struggle with his grades. Steven, Maria, and Noah suffer from learning disabilities, the most common of which involve reading disabilities. Dyslexics, for example, often confuse letters that have a similar appearance. Other learning disabilities are dysgraphia [a disorder that affects handwriting] and dyscalculia [difficulty with math skills]. Yet, most of those with learning disabilities have average or above average intelligence. Symptoms of learning disabilities include delayed language skills, trouble rhyming words, habitual mispronunciation, persistent baby talk, difficulty in learning letters and numbers, inability to sound o