Dyslexia and Success

Of the many wishes that parents have for their children, one is certainly that they have the opportunity to pursue their goals in life and the ability to achieve those goals. For parents of dyslexic children, the realization that their child is dyslexic may be a difficult one. For many parents, this realization is the same as hearing that their child will not be able to succeed.

In fact, this is far from the truth.

If you search the internet for successful dyslexics, you will probably be surprised by the number of individuals you know on these lists. These dyslexics come from every part of the world, and are distinguished in a great variety of professional and academic fields. Dyslexics can, and do, succeed in life and its many facets. In many fields, dyslexic individuals are notable for their creativity and unconventional thinking. Why, then, does the word cause so many people to think of failure?

I believe that it’s partly because of the way that dyslexia is discussed. When the subject comes up, it is usually addressed as a “disability”, and the conversation revolves around the difficulties and challenges that dyslexia creates. In a sense, this is out of necessity, because these conversation usually center on an individual (such as a child) who is struggling because of the challenges that they are facing. When we have these conversations, it is important to focus also on the possibilities that are open to dyslexics when their dyslexia is properly addressed. Yes, they do face challenges with reading, spelling and writing; but the act of overcoming these challenges can build character and discipline. When a dyslexic receives training from a proven dyslexia tutoring program, a world of opportunities can open to them.