The irony of being a dyslexic journalist is not lost on me (yes, autocorrect will be my closest friend when writing this article). However, what some people don’t realise is that dyslexia falls under the umbrella term neurodiverse.
Neurodiversity is the term used to describe people who have neurological brain differences compared to neurotypical people. Most of the world's population is neurotypical, and it’s estimated that only 15-20% are neurodiverse. So, to the majority, people who are neurodiverse may present differently as they have their own ways of processing and behaving.
So, what are the neurodivergent conditions?
- Autism
- Dyslexia
- Dyspraxia
- Dyscalculia
- ADHD
- Tourette's syndrome (or other tic disorders)
Some people who have one condition may have overlapping symptoms with another, for example, a lot of people find that if they have ADHD they may have autism too, sometimes known as AuDHD.
It’s currently disability awareness month, which this year runs from November 14 until December 20, so it's important to shed light on all disabilities, even the invisible ones.
I can’t be a mouthpiece for all neurodiverse people, everyone is different and has their own unique experiences. But as someone who spent the majority of their life undiagnosed, I can tell you resilience is probably my best strength.
Whether I see dyslexia as a superpower is up for debate. Do I think I am at any advantage because I struggle to spell or remember my left or right? No, not really. But the biggest disadvantage in life is no fault of my own - it comes from stereotypes and misinformation.
I went under the radar for far too long because in all honesty my spelling isn't really that bad (a dyslexic with good spelling- unbelievable). But, I had to learn effective revision and coping mechanisms to figure it out because if I hadn’t, I would have fallen behind and been pegged as illiterate or unintelligent. The truth is dyslexia has many other symptoms, other than just poor spelling, and because I didn’t know about that, I never assumed I had it either.
Some other signs of dyslexia:
- Forgetting important dates or appointments
- Poor organisation
- Poor working memory
- Poor time management/ time blindness
- Mental overload
- Procrastination
The list is extensive and unique to the individual, a lot of the symptoms also come up in ADHD. But teachers, friends, family and everyone else needs to be more aware of the signs, as so many people go undiagnosed and unheard because they don’t show the stereotypical symptoms. This applies not only to dyslexia but to all neurodiverse conditions.
Dyslexia does not affect intelligence, and dyslexics are just as capable as anyone else. My biggest downfall in school, and admittedly in my daily life now, has been not having the confidence to ask for help.
I hate admitting I’m struggling, especially before I knew my struggles were dyslexia related. I hate missing my train and having to spend £50 on a new ticket, or explaining to my friends that I’ll be late for their birthday dinner because I have a hard time keeping track of time and estimating how long tasks will take.
Dyslexia isn’t a superpower. The superpower is figuring out how to do things despite it and noticing the things it allows me to achieve.
Researchers from the University of Cambridge have found that dyslexia may have played a vital role in our adaptation as dyslexics tend to be more inclined to explore.
Dr Helen Taylor, lead author of ‘Developmental Dyslexia: Disorder or Specialization in Exploration?’, explained: “People with dyslexia appear to gravitate towards certain professions that require exploration-related abilities, such as arts, architecture, engineering, and entrepreneurship.”
She added: “Schools, academic institutes and workplaces are not designed to make the most of explorative learning. But we urgently need to start nurturing this way of thinking to allow humanity to continue to adapt and solve key challenges”.
In an ideal world, everyone's unique learning styles would be catered to but until then, neurodiverse people, whether they are formally diagnosed or not, should seek strategies to help them.
Many mental health coaches are on social media, like Lucy Hine, author of ‘Born to be Different’ and founder of ‘Have A Word’; or Natalie Brooks, founder of ‘Dyslexia in Adults’, to help teach and shed light on neurodiverse conditions.
There are many more conversations about neurodiversity nowadays, but there is no use if only neurodiverse people or people in healthcare industries are listening. Neurotypical people should be aware too as these conditions could be affecting your friends, colleagues, family members and maybe even you.
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