In reality, dyslexia can affect memory, organisation, time-keeping, concentration, multi-tasking and communication. All impact on everyday life. If you're in a relationship with someone whose brain works differently to yours it can be confusing and frustrating.
Dyslexic children may be physically and socially immature in comparison to their peers. This can lead to a poor self-image and less peer acceptance. Dyslexics' social immaturity may make them awkward in social situations. Many dyslexics have difficulty reading social cues.
While we tend to think of dyslexia as a reading disorder, it also has an effect on a child's social and communication skills. Since it can interfere with being able to retrieve words quickly, dyslexia can hinder a child's ability to interact with peers in a typical way, and respond appropriately in social situations.
Left untreated, dyslexia may lead to low self-esteem, behavior problems, anxiety, aggression, and withdrawal from friends, parents and teachers. Problems as adults. The inability to read and comprehend can prevent children from reaching their potential as they grow up.
Dyslexia in adulthood
Dyslexia is a complex condition that affects the way the brain processes and interprets information. Dyslexia can impact reading, writing, and spelling. Dyslexia may also affect organizational skills, concentration in noisy environments, planning, and prioritizing.
Another condition people with dyslexia may experience is social anxiety disorder. It has several intense symptoms: The fear of being judged by others. Avoidance of social situations.
They have trouble connecting with other kids, making friends and understanding what's expected of them in social situations. Some of them miss social cues, and misinterpret body language and tone of voice. Kids with learning disabilities may talk too much, or at the wrong time, or say things that are inappropriate.
Renowned sociological theories, such as the social model, emphasise how topical real-life issues can be caused and maintained within society itself. So often we hear stories of dyslexics being accused as 'thick, lazy or stupid' merely because they process and absorb information differently to others.
In the US, dyslexia is recognised as a “specific learning disability” and students may be eligible for federally-funded services if they lack basic reading ability or reading comprehension skills.
Because of their difficulty with language, they may unintentionally foster mis-communications with others, and it may be a turn-off to peers. Students who feel badly about themselves may not have the social confidence or skill to seek and maintain friendships, and may become withdrawn from friends and family.
Individuals who have learning disabilities may be less observant in their social environment, may misinterpret the social behavior of others at times, and may not learn as easily from experiences or social “cues” as their friends.
Although anxiety is not a specific learning difficulty (SpLD), it is included here as studies have found that young people with learning difficulties are more likely to experience feelings of anxiety, depression and low self esteem.
A social or emotional disability includes a disorder, illness or disease that affects a person's thought processes, perception of reality, emotions or judgement or that results in disturbed behaviour. The disability may be temporary or permanent.
In many instances, children with learning difficulties, and reading difficulties specifically, experience a broad range of social and emotional challenges, such as low self-esteem, anxiety, depression and peer rejection (6).
Another common trait in dyslexic individuals is higher emotional intelligence. In a 2020 study done by the University of California, researchers found that children with dyslexia showed a stronger emotional response to visual images and clips than their non-dyslexic peers.
People affected by learning disabilities often face negative attitudes and behaviours from others, as do their carers or relations. Barriers to employment are a common issue, with only 7% of adults with learning disabilities in paid work. They can also experience exclusion from education and social activities.
It's not just in schools however that stigma surrounding dyslexia exists! The general stereotype is often negative and this can lead to discrimination in employment where people are unfairly judged based on their reading and writing abilities rather than their actual skills and qualifications.
Dyslexia impacts the family in variety of ways and can often result in sibling rivalry. The dyslexic child needs special attention from parents and relatives, while the non-dyslexic siblings may be jealous of this extra attention.
Poverty, unemployment, unequal opportunity, racism, and malnutrition are examples of social problems. So are substandard housing, employment discrimination, and child abuse and neglect. Crime and substance abuse are also examples of social problems.
Research has also shown that students with learning disabilities are often less accepted and may be rejected by their peers. Social rejection can result in feelings of loneliness, which, in turn, may lead to psychological difficulties such as anxiety and depression.
As a result of discrimination, children with disabilities may have poor health and education outcomes; they may have low self- esteem and limited interaction with others; and they may be at higher risk for violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation (5,31).
Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability. Dyslexia refers to a cluster of symptoms, which result in people having difficulties with specific language skills, particularly reading. Students with dyslexia usually experience difficulties with other language skills such as spelling, writing, and pronouncing words.
Nonetheless, as discussed above, being dyslexic may make an individual more sensitive and prone to anxious thoughts in certain situations. Personality traits and psychological profiles too play a key role in anxiety levels.
A dyslexic person tends to be shy and be reluctant to open up to others. This can be the case whether or not the person has experienced verbal abuse from families, because peers, and sometimes teachers, can humiliate these children.