One Mother’s Journey ~ One Son’s Superpower
A Series on Dyslexia
Part I: The beginning of the story…
When my beautiful baby boy, Matthew, was born on July 6, 2001, my husband and I knew in our hearts something was wrong. After a couple of months of searching for the best doctors to help us, we finally received some answers; although not always what we hoped to hear. I will never forget the day we were told that Matthew had spina bifida and would require surgery at 13 months old if he was ever to walk. He had the surgery and he did not walk – he ran!
Years later, while home educating him, we knew in our heart of hearts, that our son had a reading disability. After months of searching for the best diagnostician, we finally received some answers. Although not what we had hoped to hear, we were not surprised. Regardless, being told that your bright and highly inquisitive 8-year-old son had something called, “Deep Dyslexia,” and would NEVER learn how to read, was earth-shattering.
How do I fix this? There was no surgery nor was there medication, just the grueling torture each day of trying to make him do something that he could not do. I was a former public-school teacher, reading specialist, and college instructor, and taught countless kids how to read, yet I could not teach my own son, no matter which method I tried. Trust me, I tried them ALL.
Accordingly, I did what I always do. I researched and researched and researched. I bought numerous programs, and even more books than I already owned, enough to fill a small library. (Matthew’s neuropsychologist asked me if I ever heard of eBay.) And then, despite all of my credentials, education, and experience, I hired other consultants, specialists, therapists, neurodevelopmentalists, and teachers to come alongside of us.
It was a long road, and while you might be wondering how did my son’s story end, you will have to wait and see. I had so much to learn, that I would like to share with you.
Until then – see you next week!