Echoing from playgrounds and classrooms from around the world are taunting remarks pointing to the need for further understanding of learning Disabilities. Such as:
"Hey, Jason, can't you catch a ball?" "You are a dummy."
"Don't choose Jason for our team, he can't spell."
"Did you hear the question, Jason?" asked the teacher, as the class laughed.

In a loud jeering voice, a classmate asked,"What did you get on your Report Card, Jason, all Fs again?"

Jason has a learning disability known as Dyslexia. There are many Jasons in the world. He may be someone you know.

Dyslexia, by definition, means the inability to deal with written language despite adequate instruction, average to above average intelligence and sociocultural advantages. It is one of several specific learning disabilities. To understand the broad scope of dyslexia, a set of symptoms or syndrome must be considered. According to a large body of research, in order to establish a diagnosis of dyslexia, all symptoms must be present to some degree. Offering some confusion is the fact that some of the symptoms may also be found in other disabilities.

First, let's take a look at Jason as we first see him. He is an average, healthy, happy, intelligent child that everyone enjoys, until he enters school. Then wham! His world falls apart. It is here that he must learn to perceive written symbols with an auditory component as well as a realistic meaning. As the process of learning to read, write, and spell evolves, Jason is left behind while his classmates move ahead. He becomes more and more frustrated. Adding to this frustration is the pressure to succeed facing him at home as well as in school. Labels begin to emerge, such as, 'slow learner', 'immature','goof-off', and 'dummy'. Jason begins to feel alone and confused. Frightening defense mechanisms are sure to follow.

Now, the set of symptoms or syndrome that helps define Dyslexia:
* Poor performance on group tests involving reading and writing
* Spotty performance on IQ tests
* Impaired temporal orientation
* Impaired right-left discrimination
* Poor spatial orientation
* Frequent perceptual reversals
* Impaired reproduction of rhythmic and tonal patterns
* Impaired auditory discrimination
* Speech irregularities
* Impaired coordination
* Impaired fine motor skills
* Reading, writing, and spelling difficulties
* Variability in performance
* Poor ability to organize work

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