Table of Contents

About the Author... ii Acknowledgements... vi Foreword... vii 1. Being Dyslexic: The Humiliation of Being Different... 1 2. What to Look For: Early Signs that Might Signal a Later Problem... 17 3. Trusting Your Gut Instinct: When to Look for Help... 36 4. Understanding Assessments... 53 5. When Is Dyslexia Not Dyslexia... 70 6. Choosing the Right Help... 82 7. Working Together: Home, School and Others... 95 8. Emotional Impact: Embarrassment and Shame... 108 9. Extreme Consequences: The Dangers of Undiagnosed or Untreated Dyslexia... 120 10. Support to Access the World of Written Words... 134 Endnotes... 148 References... 150 Glossary... 152

About the Author

Rita Treacy is an expert on dyslexia both professionally and personally. Identified with classic dyslexia while in college, she has a degree in remedial linguistics specialising in the area of specific learning difficulties/dyslexia and associated language difficulties in children and adolescents. She worked for twelve years in the St John of God Lucena Clinic, becoming principal speech and language therapist and head of department. Since 2002, Rita has been director of WordsWorth Learning Ltd (www.wordsworthlearning.com), and in that time has developed the online WordsWorthLearning programme to help children and young people overcome their reading and spelling difficulties.