Dear Sue,
My son struggles tremendously in school, to the point where he failed last year. He is now repeating the year. We had him tested, and he was diagnosed with dyslexia. The psychologist recommended amanuensis – a teacher now reads the questions in his exam papers aloud to him and also writes down his answers.
While his marks have improved somewhat, ever since the diagnosis, my son has been depressed and has become withdrawn. He says he is “dumb and stupid.” I don’t know what to say to him. He really wants to overcome his problems, but we don’t know if that is even possible. The opinion of most people is that dyslexia is incurable. Do you agree?
Debra
Dear Debra
First, let me say this clearly: your son is not dumb or stupid. Dyslexia is not related to intelligence. Many highly successful people — from entrepreneurs to scientists and artists — have struggled with dyslexia. What your son is experiencing now is not a reflection of his potential but of the frustration and discouragement that often come after a diagnosis.
You mention that he has been given an amanuensis in exams, which helps him show more of what he knows. That’s a good start, but support should never stop there. Children with dyslexia need targeted intervention, not only accommodations. This is where hope comes in.
The widely shared view is that dyslexia cannot be “cured” in the medical sense — there’s no pill or quick fix. However, research in neuroscience reveals that the brain is plastic, meaning it can change with the right kind of practice. Intensive, structured reading instruction (what we call Structured Literacy) combined with cognitive training can strengthen the very skills that underlie reading. When done consistently, many children achieve what I call a functional cure: they catch up to age-appropriate reading and spelling levels and maintain those gains with continued practice.
So, is dyslexia hopeless? Absolutely not. It is challenging, but it is not a life sentence. Your son needs to hear this from you often: that dyslexia explains his struggles, but it does not define him. Encourage him by focusing on progress, however small, and celebrate his strengths in and beyond academics.
At Edublox, we’ve seen hundreds of learners make remarkable turnarounds — not through miracles, but through disciplined, evidence-based teaching and cognitive training. That’s the hope I want to pass on to you and your son: progress is possible, and in many cases, age-appropriate reading really is an achievable goal.
Warm regards,
Sue
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More about Sue
Sue is an educational specialist in learning difficulties with a B.A. Honors in Psychology and a B.D. degree. Early in her career, Sue was instrumental in training over 3,000 teachers and tutors, providing them with the foundational and practical understanding to facilitate cognitive development among children who struggle to read and write. With over 30 years of research to her name, she conceptualized the Edublox teaching and learning methods that have helped thousands of children worldwide. In 2007, she opened the first Edublox reading and learning clinic; today, there are 30 clinics internationally. Sue treasures the “hero” stories of students whose self-esteem soars as their marks improve.
