Myomancy ADHD, Dyslexia and Autism

The Editor
The Times Educational Supplement

Dear Sir,

It is perhaps a result of the struggle during the seventies and eighties to get dyslexia recognised that dyslexia has turned into a dogma that people are afraid to question. Julian Elliott’s ‘Another Voice’ article was a much needed and refreshing take on the issue. Unfortunately I fear his point will be lost as he and Channel 4 hype the controversy in search of ratings. His central tenant that a diagnosis of dyslexia tells us nothing about the problems a child or adult faces is true. All the diagnosis tells us is that the child has problems learning skills that other children pick up with ease.
Common perception about dyslexia is that it is one problem with one cause and one solution. Dyslexia is more akin to symptom than an illness. It is the educational equivalent of a high temperature, it tells you something is wrong but its causes vary from the minor to the severe. We need to look beyond the symptoms and at the underlying issues. Significant evidence suggest that subtle hearing problems, visual problems, stress and memory and retained primitive reflexes all play their part. None of this research represents a clear body of evidence but its tell us that we need to look beyond simple diagnosis and variations on traditional teaching methods.
Parts of the dyslexia ‘industry’ have discovered this and are successfully treating children and adults. Best known of these is DDAT / Dore Centres but there are others and they are changing peoples’ lives with their treatments. The science behind these companies can be criticised as can the commercial over-enthusiasm they promote their claims but the simple fact is that for some people, these treatments work and this fact should not be ignored.

Your faithfully

Chris Tregenza
Webmaster: www.Myomancy.com

See also: The Dyslexia Myth

Update: More on the Dyslexia Myth