Updated: 02/01/2018

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Dyslexia is a developmental condition, often inherited, that interferes with the acquisition and processing of written language (MedicineNet.com, 12/9/2003). It is also a neurological condition in which the brain of the dyslexic shows distinct differences from “normal” children (Gabrieli, 2009). Currently, the academic consensus seems to be that Dyslexia is an Autism Spectrum condition, which is apparently taken for granted in most studies, although Humer and Mann (2010) distinguish dyslexics as a group from Autism Spectrum participants in their study, so this consensus may be changing.

By contrast, Ronald D Davis in his book “The Gift of Dyslexia” (1997) indicates that Dyslexia is a gift that allows those with the condition to perceive the world in ways that “normal” people cannot: the gift of Dyslexia, argues Davis, is the gift of genius.

Although this practitioner might take issue with Davis’ assertion, since not all dyslexics can be geniuses, she was interested in his description of what Dyslexia is from the point of view of someone who actually is dyslexic and the issues outlined by Davis in the first two chapters of his book (Davis, 1997).

From Davis’ point of view, Dyslexia is not a problem with reading and processing per se, but an entirely different way of experiencing the world. According to him, dyslexics have a multidimensional perception that results in their visualising, to a greater or lesser degree, the inside and the outside of anything and everything they come into contact with – people, houses, cars, animals, tables, clouds, toys, the ground under their feet etc - resulting in a greater or lesser degree of constant disorientation. Their “mind’s eye”, far from being anchored as it is in “normal” people, darts about in an uncontrolled and uncontrollable manner, examining everything from all sides and all angles (Davis, 1997).

According to Davis (1997), In terms of reading, this disorientation, caused by the mind’s eye’s attempt to see all sides of the printed text at the same time, results in the experience of print being raised off the paper or screen, constantly changing shape and orientation, together with constant shifts in the relationship of any one letter shape to any or all of the others. Little wonder, then, that dyslexics have difficulty “processing” information. Written information in the modern world is, according to Davis (1997), not presented in a way dyslexics can decipher.

Articles on Gary Craig’s Emotional Freedom Techniques website (now transferred to EFTUniverse.com) indicate the EFT approach can be very effective in dealing with Dyslexia (Using EFT for Dyslexia, undated). However, what is, according to Davis (1997), “normal” and therefore unremarkable for a dyslexic, ie the disorientation, has not been addressed in these articles.

In view of the above, therefore, I approach EFT for Dyslexia from the point of view that Dyslexia is not simply a reading and processing condition, but an Autistic Spectrum Disorder with associated issues.

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References

MedicineNet.com; Author Not Given; 12/9/2003; Definition of Dyslexia; URL: http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=3138; Accessed: 17/7/2010

Gabrieli, John D E; 2009; Dyslexia: A New Synergy Between Education and Cognitive Neuroscience; Science 17 July 2009, Vol. 325. no. 5938, pp. 280 – 283

Humer, S V and Mann, V; 2010; A Comprehensive Profile of Decoding and Comprehension in Autism Spectrum Disorders; Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders April 2010 Vol. 40 no. 4, pp. 485-493

Davis, R D with Braun, E M; 1997; The Gift of Dyslexia: Why some of the brightest people can’t read and how they can learn; Souvenir Press Ltd, London

Using EFT for Dyslexia; Undated; EFTUniverse.Com; URL: http://www.eftuniverse.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=907:using-eft-for-dyslexia&catid=19:education-learning-disabilities&Itemid=1002; Accessed: 17/7/2010