In this blog, Editor Katie talks about Dyslexia awareness week. This week (3–9 October) is Dyslexia Awareness Week. The theme of this year’s event is Breaking Through Barriers – focusing on the obstacles faced by those with dyslexia and the people supporting them.
What is dyslexia?
The British Dyslexia Association defines dyslexia as ‘a learning difficulty that primarily affects the skills involved in accurate and fluent word reading and spelling’ [1]. Dyslexia ranges from mild to severe and can affect various aspects of a person’s life, including their education, work, health and general wellbeing.
Like many learning difficulties, it is worth noting that there can be benefits to thinking differently. Many dyslexic people have strong reasoning abilities, for example.
It’s thought that around 1 in 10 people in the UK has some degree of dyslexia, but many are undiagnosed.
Dyslexia and cancer
While often thought of as a language disorder, dyslexia can have a significant impact on how people process information. This means it can affect a person’s ability to understand and remember what they have read or heard. We know that cancer information is complex and overwhelming for many people, particularly at the point of diagnosis. For someone who has a learning difficulty such as dyslexia it can be even harder.
We have 58 easy-read booklets about cancer. Our easy-read booklets are for people who prefer simpler words, alongside illustrations.
We also produce a range of our information in audio format. This can be useful for people who find reading difficult. You can see all the available titles on our SoundCloud.
Where can I get support?
If you think you or your child might have dyslexia, it is important to get help. If you or your child are diagnosed, this can help you get the support you need from your employer, or from your child’s school. It can also help you to better understand your condition. If you are worrying about dyslexia or would just like more information, speak to your GP.
You can find out more about the signs and symptoms and testing for dyslexia on the British Dyslexia Association website and NHS web pages.
How can Macmillan help?
If you have dyslexia and find it difficult to use our website, we have information about dyslexia-friendly fonts and other useful tips on our Accessibility pages.
We are always trying to improve accessibility for all our users. If you have any comments or suggestions, please contact us at webmanager@macmillan.org.uk
References
[1] British Dyslexia Association (What is dyslexia? | British Dyslexia Association)
