If you are ever helping a dyslexic read or spell and they start to yawn excessively, don’t worry that you are boring them to death; they are probably just dealing with “word fatigue”. This is not an official or scientific term, it’s just one that I created after seeing so many students ready for a nap after reading a chapter out of a book. The nature of dyslexia makes reading and writing a challenging task for dyslexics, and also a tiring one, especially when the dyslexic individual is in the first stages of learning the proper sounds of letters and how to sound out words. As a result, their brains become more fatigued than the average individual while performing these tasks.
For many dyslexics, this fatigue can be caused by reading, writing, studying, or doing math, and it shouldn’t be mistaken as laziness; it is simply the result of the effort and concentration that they must give to the task at hand. Quite often, a dyslexic individual will become less fatigued during reading and writing as they make progress and begin to feel more confident in their literacy skills.
It’s something to keep in mind next time you witness a case of the yawns!
Peter
