Dyslexia ADDventures

Don’t panic! Intervention for language difficulties won’t start until she is 6-7 years old at least. That’s by Class 1 or 2.   If her school teachers are well-trained they’ll spot it by that time. Since most of our children go to schools where the average class strength is 40 students per class, and each class has anywhere between 5 to 10 sections depending on how much space is available to the school, teachers are burdened to finish ‘portions’ for examinations (Yes! We are a nation obsessed with exams and scoring well in exams). Many teachers (and parents) believe LD and dyslexia are conferred on children as an excuse for laziness. Some think it’s a lifestyle disorder (I never get this!), others say it’s bad parenting (Yeah, the jam bottle you produced stinks!). A good thrashing will exorcise any semblance of dyslexia and its ilk out of the child! (universal remedy for ‘curing’ a child off bad behaviour, disrespecting elders, the list can go on.)   Most teachers...

I knew LD/ADHD is genetic only after my daughter was assessed for it. However, you can catch the signs much earlier if you’re observant. You instinctively know something is ‘off’ by the time the child is two and a half to 3 years old. I never knew anything about Dyslexia , LD , or ADHD . In my case, the revelation did not appear like a bolt from the clear blue sky, but was a gradual affirmation of all I felt and knew was ‘off’ with my daughter. Much of the knowledge I gained is in hindsight, but it is knowledge which empowered me to advocate for my child. Here’s what my child did: Kicked like crazy and moved constantly in the womb. Remained in the womb even after 9 months.   Just made the minimum birth weight cut off. She spoke very early, by 8-9 months (many children also have delayed speech, beyond 2 years). She did not crawl, instead she waddled on her knees like a penguin on roller skates. And then, one day (11-12 months) she stood up and ran. She couldn’t s...

Nine years ago when my daughter was assessed for ADHD  and Dyslexia  she was five years old, my husband was 33. For him our daughter’s ‘diagnosis’ was like cool droplets of rain on a hot summer day. Blessed relief! He realised he was not weird or crazy. The diagnosis gave him a better perspective of his struggle as a young adult in school. Many of his inadequacies as an adult now seemed solvable and something he could deal with. It was only learning difficulty and he could cope with that! My way of coping was to equip myself with knowledge. I devoured books on ADHD and Dyslexia. (I think all of us have LD in a fashion! But when it comes in the way of daily living and impedes the ability to realise our potential, we have to seek help.) I understood Learning Disability (LD) /ADHD is primarily genetic  and runs in families. I saw a pattern. My husband and father-in-law. At least three immediate blood relatives of my father-in-law (I don’t want to name them). I am not ...