Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion What should I do if I suspect I'm Dyslexic?

I was also going to recommend the book Dyslexic Advantage, as well as a DVD by the Eides which I can't remember the name of at the moment - but you can find it on their website - and you can find their website by googlinge Eides + Neurolearning.

Ultimately I'd look into a neuropscyh eval, but in the meantime there are some practical things you can do that might help - so here are my random suggestions in no particular order - they may or may not apply, but hopefully something in among them might be useful

1) If spelling is a problem when you're writing (typing), you can try word prediction software (my ds uses Co:Writer 6 - google Don Johnston + Co:Writer), it's a bit pricey but it's amazing the difference it makes in his written work. There is another less expensive piece of word prediction software that our neuropsych recommends, but I can't remember the name of it at the moment.

2) If your math challenge is primarily in copying correctly, confusing signs, and difficulty with math facts that's possibly dyslexia related, but if you have difficulties beyond that you might want to google dyscalculia and see if any of the symptoms of dyscalculia fit.

3) Google dyslexia + accommodations and dysgraphia + accommodations - you may find some very helpful suggestions that would be useful to try now while you're waiting for a diagnosis.

4) Let us know how you use copying in your daily life and we might be able to help you out with work-arounds. My ds struggles tremendously with copying, and has a number of accommodations for it he uses in school - first, we try to have him avoid copying whenever! He has an accommodation to fill in answers in test booklets on standardized testing, I copy and scan in problems from his textbooks or type them out on his computer for him, when he is working on math using handwriting we have him either write one problem per page or have him section off the areas of his page he's working in for each problem, things like that. For note-taking he has a LiveScribe pen - I can try to explain it but it would probably be better for you to just google it and read about it.

If you let us know a little bit more about the specific parts of your life where you're having challenges with this - ie, specific tasks, we can all help you brainstorm work-arounds. I'm a little bit not sure what to recommend simply because you are an adult and I'm immersed in helping an 11 year old, so I'm sure his daily needs are much different than yours - but otoh I'm guessing that many of us here parenting kids with similar challenges might have some good ideas!

Best wishes,

polarbear

Polarbear- as for copying I'll literally read a number set that I have to say... enter into a computer,register etc... If the number is 564823 I'll read it as 564823 but somehow when I go and type in the number something goes wrong it will come out as 564832 or 654832. I'm reading it fine, in my head I read it in the right order but from my head to my hand its different. Same with typing or writing a email. I know how something is spelled but it will often end up with something like; "ehllo, how are uour today" if I'm not careful. I remember having issues as a child, my teacher once told my parents that when I was spelling I was phonetically adding letters that didn't exist and that it was a trait that would always be there. Well she was right even now I have to work to not add things. Even typing this I'm making constant corrections, I'm sure I haven't caught them all...
The biggest thing I've noticed that when I'm counting a large sum of money at work I count and recount and count some more trying to make sure the drawer isn't off. I write down the individual sums and then add them together sometimes getting different outcomes. My IQ is 113 it is incredibly frustrating when I can't seem to count something so simple as a drawer full of money acurately. I think the biggest problem is change if I'm holding two nickels I'll catch myself thinking 20 cents when its actually ten cents and obviously have to start over.