how is your dyslexic kid doing?

[Anonymous]

My brother has dyslexia, struggled a lot in school and wasn't diagnosed until he went to community college. Also a brilliant, mostly self-taught programmer and started working in that during HS. Dropped out of community college and has worked in IT even since. I don't really understand what he does (high level stuff that even my software engineer DH says is beyond him) but he's paid very well, based on his house and travels. Very nice wife and two kids.

[Anonymous]

I am pretty sure I am dyslexic, or have some form of dyslexia, and I have lived with it my whole life. As a GenXer, I was never diagnosed and learned how to adapt with it. For example, I can’t visualize words phonetically nor can I follow when someone spells a word to me or tells me a phone number.

I consider myself a late bloomer. I found my passion and pursued a PhD. I am now a university professor. I am a bit quirky, and my friends like to joke that I am an odd duck, but I am comfortable in my own skin.

[Anonymous]

I am dyslexic with a dyslexic teen. I struggled through elementary school and high school (I was undiagnosed). I gradually got the hang of things in college, and knocked it out of the park in graduate school. I still can’t spell, my handwriting is pretty poor, and I have really poor working memory - I can’t remember a string of numbers, a spelling, or step by step directions to save my life. I literally have to be looking at them to use them. But give me something like an IKEA thing to put together and I do great, because while I can’t remember the next step, I understand it when I look at it, and then it isn’t about memory but actually understanding.

My kid continues to struggle in school. He is probably a bit like the PP’s daughter who dislikes school because it stresses her out so much. My kid does fine when he does the work, but he hates it so much he rarely does it all.

I just have to have faith he’ll figure it out. I did. I think most of them do.

[Anonymous]

Like my daughter, my dh has dyslexia and is a partner in a law firm. My friend also has dyslexia and she is a pulmonologist. I don’t think my daughter will be that high flying because of other challenges, but I’m sure that she will find a decent job when the time comes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DP here with a follow-up question. My dyslexic DS has terrible handwriting and it is unlikely to improve drastically.

How is the handwriting component as an adult?

My DC also has dysgraphia and can barely print their name even after years of intervention. They type almost everything and it hasn’t been a problem.

My DS did 2 years of private OT but in the end he just needs to type!

[Anonymous]

My sister was very dyslexic. She went to college, graduated with honors, did a masters program (did take longer to complete), and has had success at several jobs. Has a lovely husband and baby.

[Anonymous]

Mine is thriving. Has a job that doesn't require writing.

[Anonymous]

Ours struggled in elementary school which is how we came to understanding what was going on. Moved him to a small private school with accommodations, supports and tutoring. Did well in middle school but hates to read and write. High School was interrupted by covid and had 2 very lean years. Did well his final years, he is off to a small private liberal arts college in the Fall. We will have to see what happens next - but school work does stress him out. He has done best when he feels supported and when his teachers understand his issues.

[Anonymous]

I hope life for these kids gets easier. My DS is so miserable at high school. He feels his efforts are never rewarded by good grades.

[Anonymous]

Severe Dyslexia and ADHD, graduated double major with many honors and prizes and about to enter PhD program (both Ivy).

College was so much better because they had so much more control over their time and schedule, and so much less busywork/nonsense. They also had excellent accessibility support and fairly quickly started making good healthy decisions about managing life and health. I give so much credit to the accessibility services and faculty who helped make the transition of a thought process plagued with imposter syndrome to one of, I’m fine, I do the work, just a bit differently than many.


I also have one with ADHD running a very successful business. Does not believe the diagnosis and doesn’t make great choices. Hyperfocus is a superpower now but I think there will be some heavy consequences in the future. I know OP asked about dyslexia, but I mention this AC because I think the issue of accepting diagnosis is really key. This AC is much less healthy because so much of life is focused on proving the diagnosis wrong.

[Anonymous]

Daughter has very significant ADHD, dyslexia, and a mood disorder and is thriving in college (junior). She has come very far, particularly in the last couple of years. I think getting past the ups and downs of teenage hormones has helped with the mood disorder and she has finally put two and two together re sleep, consistency with meds, etc. which has helped her ADHD. The dyslexia is manageable but its does mean she has to work much harder and longer than her peers. I do worry about her burning out.

[Anonymous]

Yelling about sentences right now

[Anonymous]

Mild dyslexia and ADHD, never diagnosed as a child, only found out bc my kids have it and I finally realized it was also my profile.

Georgetown med graduate and now a successful physician. My path was not straight forward, didn't start med school until 4 years after my age matched peers, but I got there eventually!