Dyspraxia and Me: Is it funny that I cannot swim?

Is it funny that I cannot swim?
And struggle trying to keep trim?
My problems with coordination,
Make any sport a sheer frustration.

Is it funny that I can’t ride a bike?
That my balance skills went out on strike?
So when I climbed a tree or wall,
I was sure that I would always fall.

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Blogging 101: Adult Visions

I am a few days behind with Blogging 101 still and on the ‘Make a Prompt Personal‘ assignment from Tuesday. I’m going to try to catch up while I am off work feeling sick and very sorry for myself. I really didn’t understand the assignment at first, but after having a look at the previous Daily Prompts I figured out what was meant and chose to write about Adult Visions.

Now, when I looked into this particular prompt, I decided to choose the title as a prompt rather than the description given.

As a kid, you must have imagined what it was like to be an adult. Now that you’re a grownup (or becoming one), how far off was your idea of adult life?

Instead I am going to go back to one of the topics I am most passionate about: dyslexic adults. 

Dyslexia Awareness Month: #dyslexicselfie

It’s Dyslexia Awareness Month! So let’s get this party started!!! Dyslexia shouldn’t be seen as a negative thing. It’s time to rise above the stigma!

@Hidden_Ability have created a wonderful hashtag for all you lovely dyslexic people and dyslexic supporters to take part in: #dyslexicselfie

All you need to do is take a photo of yourself and Tweet or Facebook it with the hashtag #dyslexicselfie

Here is my contribution, so make sure you join in! Come on! Let’s show the world that we are a diverse bunch from various backgrounds!

#dyslexicselfie: wearing my signature cap to stop my visual stress related migraines

Blogging 101: Who I am and why I’m here

What’s behind the mask???

This morning, as I was looking through my WordPress Reader, I spotted a post from The Daily Post and realised that I hadn’t taken on any of the Blogging 101 assignments before. Today’s assignment is about introducing yourself, so I thought this would be an ideal opportunity to join in! 

Dyslexia and Me: A is for Awareness and Ability

I really hope that this week I have helped to raise some awareness on the topics of dyslexia and scotopic sensitivity syndrome. I think I have talked a lot about the struggles I’ve had and how getting the right support has helped me to achieve my academic goals in life (so far). I’ve tried to share some funny stories of when things go wrong with my misinterpretations, misunderstandings and that other thing… Oh yeah, my short-term memory issues. I’ve also raised an issue that even I wasn’t 100% sure was related to dyslexia, but thought it was something that needed to be discussed as part of my journey. I wanted to show that dyslexia is more than just reading and writing.

One thing I haven’t really looked at is the positive sides of dyslexia. And there are many of those too! We need to raise the negative issues to get the support needed and so that people understand where dyslexics are coming from. I’m not trying to chance my luck when I ask for extra-time, I need that time to avoid migraines and to get what I have rattling in my head down onto paper before it disappears off into space! Dyslexia may throw up some barriers that need to be broken down, but it open up others that people without dyslexia perhaps find more difficult. 

Discussion: Is there enough support for adolescents and adults with dyslexia? : Dyslexia

via Is there enough support for adolescents and adults with dyslexia? : Dyslexia.

I recently started a discussion on Reddit (which I am completely new to) discussing support for adults with dyslexia. There have been some very interesting responses, so if you have Reddit and want to join the discussion, please do!

Dyslexia and Me: Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome/Irlen Syndrome Awareness Day?

A ribbon of my own design. The blue signifies dyslexia awareness while black and white are shades that I find especially difficult to look at. The coloured dots are my ‘pixel vision’

There are a number of events throughout the year raising awareness for dyslexia. The recent ‘guerilla’ campaign by Decoding Dyslexia to raise awareness through the tag #ShowMe1in5 through social media seems to have been pretty successful (there are still people sharing the links on Twitter a I write this blog). Also Dyslexia Advocacy Week has just passed where I shared a video per day featuring a variety of dyslexic people talking about their experiences and their progression and success. However, I want my blog to cover not only dyslexia, but also Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome aka Irlen Syndrome. Having searched on Google (as you do) I have been unable to find a specific day or week dedicated to raising awareness on this specific learning difficulty that has links to dyslexia. So for this reason, I have decided to set aside this weeks blog to discuss Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome in hope to raise awareness of what it is!

While 1 in 5 may have dyslexia, it has been suggested that 1 in 7 or as many as 1 in 6 of the population are affected by Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome. So here are some facts and issues linked to Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome to hopefully give you a better understanding of this specific learning difficulty.

Important: Petition | Make Dyslexia diagnosis easier for children to get. | Change.org

via Petition | Make Dyslexia diagnosis easier for children to get. | Change.org.

I think this is a very important petition for people concerned about dyslexia to sign. I struggled with school because my school refused to have me diagnosed with dyslexia because it was ‘too expensive’. I would hate to see this trend continuing and urge you to sign this petition to make it easier to diagnose kids with dyslexia.

Under the current system in the UK there are many families who struggle for years to get their children properly and formally diagnosed with Dyslexia. Local Authorities are reluctant to send a child to an Educational Psychologist due to funding restrictions and tightening school budgets. If a school is meeting a child’s educational needs then they have no reason to request a formal diagnosis. However if a parent goes to their GP and requests a referral to a Educational Psychologist for a formal diagnosis the GP says they cannot as it is not covered by the NHS. The GP also mistakenly thinks a parent can simple requests the school to refer the child for one. Hence parents are left going round in circles. Many parents are frustrated with the current system and are left with their child undiagnosed or facing an independant diagnosis from a Educational Psychologist costing them a few hundred pounds. Even when parents do get this ‘independant’ diagnosis some parents are told that it is still not accepted by some as “they have paid someone to say their child has Dyslexia”.

Unless the government are prepared to change the current system many individuals will be left undiagnosed and not receiving the help they need! Any other learning difficulty diagnosis is funded by the NHS not parents. Dyslexic children have to pay privately to get a diagnosis.

I only understand all these difficulties due to going through this battle with my own child and know of other families in the same situation, therefore I ask you all to sign this petition to raise awareness of this unfair system.

Dyslexia and Me: Get Some Hattitude!

I’ve always been a hat wearer. I absolutely love hats! While the stereotype of women is shoes and handbags, for me it’s hats. I have a couple of caps, some floppy hats, a beany hat with horns, a Frank Sinatra style hat, a couple of handmade hats from craft fairs… I LOVE HATS!!!

Dyslexia Advocacy Week 2014: Dyslexic Advantage – Blake Charlton Physician and Fantasy Author

Blake Charlton discusses another side (‘the Dark Side’) of dyslexia and helps to conclude the videos I have shared for Dyslexia Advocacy Week 2014.

Hopefully through all the videos I have shared with you this week from various sources available through Youtube I have shown the positives that exist even with the diagnosis of dyslexia.