Now I've grown up...

[Edwilson]

I've been really interested by the experience that everyone has talked about and how similar some of them are to mine, as well as how different. I thought I'd throw my thoughts into the mix. At school I was an all round Dyslexic, that is to say I was abysmal at everything achedemic. My reading was really behind as was my spelling and my writing. I really did have to look at my tie every time I was asked to write my name. I ended up repeating a year but in many respects this was the turn around as it was the moment I was diagnosed and started to get specialist help. My reading and writing still isn't brilliant and I still can't do joined up writing but I was given coping mechanisms by the special needs teachers that I had, anouther group of unsung heroes.

However, now I've grown up it is the other aspects of Dyslexia that I really struggle with. I suspect these are often forgotten by many people or people just shrug them of as one of those things but it can be really hard. For instance last term when taking my son to school I put his lunch box down to fill in a form in the school office I just forgot it was there and walked off. Luckily anouther parent realized a told me! Thankfully it's normally my lunch that is forgotten. I also get really frustrated when I can't do something or instructions just don't make sense. I'd say these are the defining traits of my dyslexia now. I wonder whether others have similar experiences.

[Kate_DA]

Hi Ed, welcome!

[6h7p25xcvb]

Yes still trying to get a University degree in my 40s after not being diagnosed at school. I couldn't write fast enough for the 11+ so was thrown on the scrapheap of education although I had a very high I.Q. I think it is worse when you are bright - you know - even as a child that things aren't right and what a con the education system is. My saving grace was working as a lecturer in a F.E. college and enabling many children with learning difficulties to achieve their English GCSE with the right tuition. I was ranked as outstanding and could achieve what my non-dyslexic colleagues couldn't. I left in the end because of bullying - I am like Ed can never remember where I have left things always in a muddle, have to work 10 ten times harder than colleagues and they all thought I was thick because I am always making spelling errors. Its like school all over again. I wish to god there was some real recognition of the problem before countless more lives are ruined by the education system. Mine was.

[ssgchester]

I totally understand what you go through.