I occasionally write about dyslexia because it affects a number of my friends and family members, and it interests me. Despite scientists having known about this affliction since the 1870s, it was rarely acknowledged even in the 20th century.
The official definition adapted by the International Dyslexia Association in 2002: “Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.” https://dyslexiaida.org/definition-of-dyslexia/
Dyslexia simulators like this one are entertaining but as far as I’m aware, dyslexics do not see words jumping about like grasshoppers. But if you can visualize these words standing still, you can sort of understand the confusion of letters.
The term was first coined about 1880 by a German ophthalmologist who could find nothing wrong with the eyes of patients suffering from an inability to recognize words. It referred to adults he thought might be brain damaged. He based his diagnosis on earlier writings about “wordblindness.” Obviously my hero in THE LIBRARIAN’S SPELL in 1871 has utterly no awareness of this affliction. He’s just horribly embarrassed that he can’t read.
As awareness of this condition grew, case studies multiplied, and doctors began making the diagnosis with children—thus eliminating the brain damage assumption. The case studies reported extremely intelligent children who are in every other way normal except that they can’t read. The world wars ended research in the UK but the US picked it up. Researchers gradually concluded dyslexia was caused by cognitive development and recommended phonics instruction as a means of overcoming it.
Despite a century or more of research and study, schools refused to recognize dyslexia as a diagnosis, and teachers weren’t provided training in dealing with it. Given that we actually understand science in this day and age (or most of us do), and still barely accept the diagnosis, can you imagine what it must have been like for dyslexics in the 19th century struggling to read? Everyone would have called them stupid—as they occasionally do today, unfortunately.
But reading isn’t the only means of learning, and someone determined enough to learn will find other ways. My Max chose to learn by listening and working with his hands. Engineering in the 1870s wasn’t the complex mathematical and physics-oriented discipline that it is today, so if he could listen to other engineers, learn the math, and put in hands-on work, it’s quite possible he could excel despite his disability.
Except, of course, my heroine gives him a library tower full of books to fix. I do love a little irony.
Have you, or someone you know, had to deal with a learning disability? Was it recognized and treated?
(Obligatory promo note--THE LIBRARIAN'S SPELL releases this week!)