grade for struggling readers when the gap is small and students benefit from brain plasticity advantages for learning language-based information,” the IDA recommends. When you first notice your child’s struggles, be proactive in advocating for them. DYSLEXIA REFRAMED Although there are certainly challeng- es that your child will face because of dyslexia, there are also advantages. “When I was little, I just wanted it to go away,” Casadaban remembers. “But now, even on the days I’m more aware of my dyslexia, I wouldn’t change that about myself.” Casadaban’s parents would tell her growing up that it would both hurt and help her brain to have dyslexia—and now she finally understands what they meant. “It’s made me smarter. Academ- ically, I can solve problems faster, I can make decisions based on less informa- tion and I’m more creative, coming up with new ways to do things. I can teach others really well and explain how to do things better because I had to teach myself my entire life.” Other benefits to dyslexia include developing more patience for others and yourself, as well as increased compassion, sympathy and awareness toward others. “It makes me more aware of others in friendships because I know what it’s like to have something invisible that’s wrong with me,” Casadaban says. “There are days I wish I didn’t have dyslexia, but some days when I problem-solve, I know it’s because I grew up doing that.” Encour- age your child to see the ways their dyslexia will grow them into a better person over time. DYSLEXIA TECH TIP Technology is a person with dyslexia’s best friend. For example, “Textbooks read to me, which can be really helpful,” Casadaban states. “Spellcheck is awe- some, especially because it would take a lot of time when I was young.”You can also set reminders and to-do lists on your phone to help with their short- term memory struggles. Programs like Grammarly can also read everything your child types and highlight potential mistakes, which can help them to better process information. Speech-to-text typing and texting can also be a helpful tool. Plus, many e-readers like Kindles have a dyslexic font that is easier to read.
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