Is Dyslexia real?

[Pacifisia]

If you weren't so weak to begin with your leg wouldn't have broken, your parents just raised you wrong, that's why your bones snap.

Exactly! Or, for instance, take cancer. Nobody has to have cancer -- it's all in your head! See, cancerous cells multiply out of control due to mutations, but what controls mutations? Hormones! And what controls hormones? Your brain! So if you get cancer, it's your fault for being too stressed out and such and not keeping your hormones in check. Slut. >:-(

You're starting to get offensive now.

[Galloism]

I had dyslexia as a child, I would write b instead of d, and vice versa, and I would write q instead of p. I always noticed my mistake, but only directly after making it. It was SO frustrating, and i hated writing so much. At about the 6th grade though, my dyslexia cleared up and went away. I still hate writing though.

My mother used to say that when I was first learning to write, when I was 3 or 4... I could write a whole paragraph out as a mirror image. You could hold it up to a mirror and read it perfectly.

My youngest does that. She also has trouble distinguishing b and p and q and d sometimes, but according to her doctor unless it continues past 8-ish it's probably normal.

She was reading something the other day and read poop as boob it was kinda funny, but also a little scary for me since I'm so neurotic about stuff.

Well, I don't know if I'm typical or not, but I grew out of it.

I'd be hard pressed to write something in a mirror image now, although that would be really cool.

[Risottia]

No, dyslexia is an imaginary condition made up by normal people to discriminate against people who can't spell properly by claiming they're sick, much like the so-called "depression" and "schizophrenia".

Actually, I suffered from depression and had to undergo both psychiatric treatment (a very light one thankfully, for the side-effect of insomnia) and psychanalysis to avoid killing myself.
I'd say that depression is quite, quite real.

Sarcasm recognition fail.

Oops.

Indeed.

Sorry, pal.

[New Central Europe]

While you at it please check out this:
http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=9952

Do you need that

[Ifreann]

i think it is just an excuse for governments around the world to justify illiteracy, i think it is made up...

And which orifice did you pull this idea from?

[Barringtonia]

There is the idea that it's not an issue with sight, it's an issue with hearing, and some people have speculated that it's an issue with a vital period of the brain's development between, I think, 1-2 years old where we learn to distinguish sounds.

In that sense, it is not an inherent condition, unless we have a hearing condition that results in dyslexia, but a function of being unable to distinguish sounds properly, and thus, in many cases correctable.

The idea being that many people are simply termed dyslexic and it's left at that, where in fact it's correctable.

The same theory is applied to ADHD, that the growth of white noise in our lives, from television to outside traffic means a critical period of learning to distinguish sounds is affected, creating confusion and a lesser ability to concentrate,

[United Russian State]

No.

[Ifreann]

No.

Explain yourself.

[England and France]

Thousands of people across the world supposedly suffer from "Dyslexia," this supposedly hinders your ability at Literacy, but it was only a condition first reported at 1998, this makes me suspicious, i think it is just an excuse for governments around the world to justify illiteracy, i think it is made up...
Well, NS, YOUR opinion please!
While you at it please check out this:
http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=9952

Of course, it's real. It's not quite the open-and-shut case which is ADHD (ADD, w.e.).

But, many people abuse it merely because they can't spell or are a bit dumb. As a student, I've seen one or two genuine victims, but many many many more people claiming and obviously not true.

However, it is ridiculously easy for me to say that as a (forgive my lack of modesty) person of above average intelligence.

[Mad hatters in jeans]

Yep it's real, in my case it was accompanied by other difficulties with language. It has caused alot of anger on my part.

[Pure Metal]

Thousands of people across the world supposedly suffer from "Dyslexia," this supposedly hinders your ability at Literacy, but it was only a condition first reported at 1998, this makes me suspicious, i think it is just an excuse for governments around the world to justify illiteracy, i think it is made up...
Well, NS, YOUR opinion please!
While you at it please check out this:
http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=9952

i was diagnosed by the Dyslexia Institute in the early 90's (maybe 1992 or 1990). a quick look at wikipedia suggests it was first observed in 1881 - where did you get this 1998 figure from?

i was found to have mild dyslexia and mild dyscalculia. i took special classes in my school for phonics, reading and maths. i wasn't a dumb kid, and didn't need these extra classes because i was stupid, but because i had problems learning these things. nowadays i can spell mostly fine thanks to the phonics lessons, but i still don't know my times-tables as they just don't seem to stay in my head - my biggest problem is with patterns, pattern recognition and pattern memory, also meaning music is a total mystery to me, along with maths. mental arithmetic is also fucking impossible if i can't count things on my fingers (and even then i tend to lose track). however, i can do some pretty smart stuff in Excel, for example, so the mathematical logic is there, just not an ability to process it.

i was a premature baby by about 8 weeks, which could explain some stuff.

I had dyslexia as a child, I would write b instead of d, and vice versa, and I would write q instead of p. I always noticed my mistake, but only directly after making it. It was SO frustrating, and i hated writing so much. At about the 6th grade though, my dyslexia cleared up and went away. I still hate writing though.

My mother used to say that when I was first learning to write, when I was 3 or 4... I could write a whole paragraph out as a mirror image. You could hold it up to a mirror and read it perfectly.

i did that, too!

[Skirrata]

What about ADD/ADHD, aren't they just kid's with a short attention span?

While they may be a real condition, they certantly are over diagnosed IMO.

[The Infinite Dunes]

There is the idea that it's not an issue with sight, it's an issue with hearing, and some people have speculated that it's an issue with a vital period of the brain's development between, I think, 1-2 years old where we learn to distinguish sounds.

In that sense, it is not an inherent condition, unless we have a hearing condition that results in dyslexia, but a function of being unable to distinguish sounds properly, and thus, in many cases correctable.

The idea being that many people are simply termed dyslexic and it's left at that, where in fact it's correctable.

The same theory is applied to ADHD, that the growth of white noise in our lives, from television to outside traffic means a critical period of learning to distinguish sounds is affected, creating confusion and a lesser ability to concentrate,

That sounds really interesting. And certainly something I could relate to. I have no problem with accents, but sometimes people will say something. I hear them saying something, but I just don't understand -- they might as well be speaking another language. Usually they'll have to rephrase before I figure out which word they were using.

i was found to have mild dyslexia and mild dyscalculia. i took special classes in my school for phonics, reading and maths. i wasn't a dumb kid, and didn't need these extra classes because i was stupid, but because i had problems learning these things. nowadays i can spell mostly fine thanks to the phonics lessons, but i still don't know my times-tables as they just don't seem to stay in my head - my biggest problem is with patterns, pattern recognition and pattern memory, also meaning music is a total mystery to me, along with maths. mental arithmetic is also fucking impossible if i can't count things on my fingers (and even then i tend to lose track). however, i can do some pretty smart stuff in Excel, for example, so the mathematical logic is there, just not an ability to process it.

i was a premature baby by about 8 weeks, which could explain some stuff.

Your talking about the things that you have trouble with made me remember something about specific learning disorders (SLDs) of which dyslexia is a part of. There tends to be very little consensus on what constitutes dyslexia and other SLDs. I was diagnosed with moderate dyslexia. But spelling is not something I have much of a problem with anymore, nor is pattern recognition. My diagnosis is based on my limited short term memory. My short term memory is thoroughly average. However, the rest of my cognitive abilities are in the 95th percentile or above (image someone with an average IQ, but with a short term memory in the 5th percentile or below). The theory is that my short term memory would limit my academic performance without training to cope with it.

So maybe dyslexia doesn't exist as such, but SLDs definitely do exist and there is a responsibility upon society not to treat everything with a one size fits all approach.

[UnhealthyTruthseeker]

If dyslexia isn't real, than what's wrong with 90% (or more) of internet users?

[The_pantless_hero]

Thousands of people across the world supposedly suffer from "Dyslexia," this supposedly hinders your ability at Literacy, but it was only a condition first reported at around 1968, this makes me suspicious, i think it is just an excuse for governments around the world to justify illiteracy, i think it is made up...
Well, NS, YOUR opinion please!
While you at it please check out this:
http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=9952

Using your logic, all psychological conditions are the result of demonic possession.
We don't need no Ritalin, we need the Vatican's exorcism squad!

[Megaloria]

If dyslexia isn't real, than what's wrong with 90% (or more) of internet users?

That's a different condition, known as dyslolia.

[Ifreann]

If dyslexia isn't real, than what's wrong with 90% (or more) of internet users?

Short answer: Stupidity. Long answer: Stuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuupiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiidityyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.

[Hessingen]

Dyslexia is rubbish. I know a boy who claims to be dyslexic so he doesnt have much expected from him. Of course it doesnt stop him writing rude words on the walls of school.

[UnhealthyTruthseeker]

Dyslexia is rubbish. I know a boy who claims to be dyslexic so he doesnt have much expected from him. Of course it doesnt stop him writing rude words on the walls of school.

One person might be faking dyslexia so no one has dyslexia? You should consider becoming a scientist with that capacity for critical examination!

[The Dark Fae]

Dyslexia is rubbish. I know a boy who claims to be dyslexic so he doesnt have much expected from him. Of course it doesnt stop him writing rude words on the walls of school.

Yes, because one example from your personal experience should determine how you view the entire group.

[Ifreann]

Dyslexia is rubbish. I know a boy who claims to be dyslexic so he doesnt have much expected from him. Of course it doesnt stop him writing rude words on the walls of school.

One person might be faking dyslexia so no one has dyslexia? You should consider becoming a scientist with that capacity for critical examination!

With his keen eye for details and impressive deductive reasoning skills he could be a super hero!

[Ravea]

i think dyslexia is a pretty cool guy eh, kills words and doesn't afraid of anything

[Iniika]

I believe Terry Goodkind is dyslexic, and he's authored a 12-book series.

Yes, but half way through it starts to be a repeat of earlier books, so really, he's only written 6

I have a miscommunication between my brain and my hands at times. Since my spelling has always been less than noteworthy, its never bothered me for my writing. Its frustrating in math though when I mean to write + and end up writing - and then get the whole damn equation wrong from a simple sign error at the beginning.

Jotting down phone numbers can be a hassle too.

[Redwulf]

I had dyslexia as a child, I would write b instead of d, and vice versa, and I would write q instead of p. I always noticed my mistake, but only directly after making it. It was SO frustrating, and i hated writing so much. At about the 6th grade though, my dyslexia cleared up and went away. I still hate writing though.

Unless you were reading them backwards that sounds more like dysgraphia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dysgraphia) which I suffer from. The thing is unlike you I wouldn't realize it until someone pointed it out. Reading on the other hand was never difficult for me, I read the Hobbit, the Rings trilogy, and the Narnia books all in kindergarten.

[Redwulf]

No, dyslexia is an imaginary condition made up by normal people to discriminate against people who can't spell properly by claiming they're sick, much like the so-called "depression" and "schizophrenia".

Actually, I suffered from depression and had to undergo both psychiatric treatment (a very light one thankfully, for the side-effect of insomnia) and psychanalysis to avoid killing myself.
I'd say that depression is quite, quite real.

I'd say that sarcasm is also quite, quite real and often missed on the intertubes.