Dyslexia

[kcp]

While I’ve known for a long time that I’m somewhat having slight dyslexia troubles, lately my boyfriend has been having me notice that my problem may be more serious than I thought, especially with numbers. For instance, when writing down a phone number, I will write it down wrong. Even if I take the time to repeat it to make sure I got it right. For some reason stronger than me, I will repeat the correct sequence of number but will write it wrong and yet still see it right (I hope I'm not confusing you too much :lol: ) I will do the same with spelling words sometimes and even confuse two languages together when writing in a same sentence. But that part is not so bad.

What’s worrying me the most is that I started noticing that I do the same thing with music (not all the time, thank goodness! But still.) For instance, while sight-reading I will read a given musical phrase correctly but play it while inadvertently inversing notes. Or while improvising I will think ahead the sequence of note I want to play but they would come-out not always in the same order :cry:

Sometimes I must admit that it can play in my favour, but other times… not quite :oops: So I have been wondering; anybody else with dyslexia in here? How do you live with it and, have any tips on how to overcome that in music?

[Lowell]

Don't stay in the dark. Consult a doctor for an accurate diagnosis and assessment. Dyslexia is something that you are born with. You don't develop it as you age. If this is something new in your life, it is a very serious change and requires immediate attention. Call your doctor today and get a referral to a neurologist. Do not allow your doctor to tell you it is nothing.

[DaveKessler]

Don't stay in the dark. Consult a doctor for an accurate diagnosis and assessment. Dyslexia is something that you are born with. You don't develop it as you age. If this is something new in your life, it is a very serious change and requires immediate attention. Call your doctor today and get a referral to a neurologist. Do not allow your doctor to tell you it is nothing.

Agreed.

[kcp]

Lowell,

Thanks for the reply, though I must say that I'm a little bit suprised by your answer. No, this is not something new in my life. I have never thought about consulting a doctor about this. So I don't know for sure if I'm really dyslexic, though I know I have several symptoms that happen sporadically. I don't think it's stopping me from functionning normally in every day life, except that I know I got to pay more attention to certain things I do. It never hurts to do that. I'm cusious as of why you stress that it is really important that I see a doctor?

[Morry]

If this is something you've lived with your whole life then accurate diagnosis is more for peace of mind and to put you in touch with resources that can help you. I think the guys were just worried that it was a sudden onset of symptoms. If that happens, then it's very important to get a neurological workup to see what is happening.

[Peterk]

Kim, I've seen how quick you can memorize a tune and i've read lots of your posts on here. I don't think you can possibly have dyslexia. It's probably more just temporary lapses in concentration or tiredness (most probably caused by constantly having trumpet players in the house). 8)

Check it out if you want, but whatever it is it can't be very serious.

[Ronin1]

Kim - take it from me. When I was an undergrad at the Univ of Michigan, I started having trouble with symptoms I joked about. I was having dyslexia type symptoms, plus migraines. Initially, my doctor blew it off sayng I was suffering from stress, because I was ina very demanding acadmic program, plus I worked about 30 hours a week, and then i also playedin a rock-n-roll band, and tried to have a social life too. I blew these symptoms off for about 6 years, until things became just too bad. When I finally wnt to see the specialist, I found out that I had Stage IV brain cancer!!!!
I am not saying that things are serious in your case, but, it never hurts to be a bit careful, so, having learnt the hard way, I would agree with the other guys, and recomend that you get yourself checked out. Best of luck.

[SopranoSue]

Kim, if you haven't had a check-up recently, I would say to go for it just for peace of mind.

That being said, I'm an information developer and have dyslexic tendencies, especially when editing, reading, or transcribing numbers. While typing, it gets worse. BUT, I do know that it happens more often when I'm tired and don't take care of myself.

At 40 years old, I also still don't know my right from my left while driving in a car giving directions to someone else (no, the *other left*...), but I digress. :roll:

If you're practicing a piece and it just somehow doesn't *feel* right, that's when there might be dyslexic tendencies while sight reading. Try segmenting into 4 bar sections. Read them backward. Then do frontward. Sometimes the dyslexia is more prominent just because you're going fast and not paying close attention. Breaking things down into sections and playing frontward and backward will give you the right notes. Then, you can just go forward.

Stupid as it sounds, slow down and concentrate. The brain tends to move more quickly than the motor skills. Slowing down helps. It's helped me greatly.

[kcp]

Ok, now I'm starting to regret that I have posted that question here, you guys are making me paranoid :shock: But I guess the more advice the better. And yeah, to differenciate the left from right thing, I know what you talking about Sue.

Peter: I've seen how quick you can memorize a tune and i've read lots of your posts on here

Thanks for the encouraging words but, what makes you think I've memoryzed them?? 8) BTW did you get my email and message on your answering machine about the comming practice? I don't trust my emails no more

[jazzbluescat]

At times I'll catch my mind racing faster than I can assimilate or assimilate incorrectly, getting numbers and letters out of order.
I suppose this could be a dyslexic symptom.

[SopranoSue]

Kim, don't regret posting. I *know* it feels stupid sometimes, and I *know* it isn't a feel-good, but it's not a bad thing, either... Flush cache, slow down, concentrate, and move on. This world moves so fast sometimes that it's hard to hold onto the details. The brain moves at such a fast pace, it's hard for the bod to keep up.

It's not a BAD thing. I didn't mean to imply that it was or to upset you. Just trying to offer advice...

Feel good in knowing that your brain is working BIG time! {{shrug}}

[TrebleClef]

I joke about having dyslexia once in a while, especially when I get something wrong on an exam because I reversed the numbers in a date or something similar. It's not that big of a deal to me, because I know I don't have dyslexia, but if you're having difficulties sight-reading music, I would check it out. I wouldn't be worried in the slightest, just the fact that it's getting in the way of what I love most (music) would bother me.

[paulwl]

If your reading problems are concentration-based, it might not be dyslexia, it might be attention deficit disorder (ADD). Another possibility to consider, anyway.

There are no strategies for reading problems (other than "just do it"), so don't expect much from the professionals in either the psychology or music ed fields.

[SelmerSaksMan]

It may not be dislexia that is giving you problems, I noticed that you said you think ahead in improv and mes up. I have the same problem, I think faster that I can write or talk or play, my teacher said that a lot of intellectually gifted people have this problem. I wandered for a long time whether I was dislexic, (sp, I know, but that wasnt dislexia....just not paying attention is school.) untill she told me about this problem. Once in a while I would write something, a big word usually, and I would be thinking so fats (This is an example of the think-too-fast problem, I cant type as fast as I think) that I would add a few of the missed letters at the end. It may not be dislexia, just brilliance.

[gary]

Hi Kim! Although this is redundant, I'm posting anyway just to add to the number of people suggesting you get expert (and that doesn't mean US) advice.

A story having nothing to do with dislexia but relating to expert diagnosis: A dear friend of mine at university was having constant headaches. He went several times to the quack wearing doctor's attire at the university clinic who told him he just needed glasses. The thing about Clyde that brightened my life was opening the door regularly to the music listening lab and seeing him (unconsciously) grunting to the music and conducting to himself, lost in a world of his own. An overweight and homely man, he wasn't really a good musician but he just loved music and was a dear and loveable young man.

One day I opened the listening lab door and he wasn't there. The silence was deafening. He had died from an undetected brain tumor. That was over thirty years ago and it still makes me sad when I think of it.

I'm not suggesting your situation is anything this serious. But I can assure you from personal experience, that early diagnosis of a major problem can save your life. I'm assuming you have similar access to health care in Canada as we have in Germany. Use it. As someone above said, if for nothing more than peace of mind. And please let us know how it comes out. I think many of us here care and would like to keep in touch. Cheers!

Gary

[saxduck]

Lesdyxia???? C'mon - it's a copout!

[top_gun25]

Nope a form of ADD. i got it too. your brain is too fast for your motor pathways to keep up. as a result you add letters, rearrange, and other things. most wont believe it but it is true. I am diagnosed as ADHD so i know all about this. take medication. NOT RIDALIN. God that stuff MADE me hyper. usually i am calm. go to a docter ask about ADD and ADHD and if you are still a student if you can take a test (i had to). Adults are out of luck. no help most of the time. maybe medicine, if it is causing problems like yours. I doubt dislexia. it would have shown up by now you would think. ADD can go till you die hidden, unknown, If you have it. and have kids get them checked too. they are possible for it too.

FACE YOUR PROBLEMS AND THEY ARE NO LONGER.

[kcp]

Well, this thread has been dead for quite some time but I thought I should leave an update on this. I did follow you guy's request; To get it checked. I did some reasearch, found and consulted specialists. Although I didn't get an official test yet (waiting lists are very long and such tests cost a lot of $$) It does appear that I may very likely have mild dyslexia and a more severe form of "dyscalculie" (sorry, I dunno what's the English word for that, it's like another form of dyslexia but with numbers.) And they beleive that it is possible that I may have ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) too.

Specialists are stressing that I should get complete testing to get full results and get to the botoom of everything so to know exactly what I have. Problem is such testing are available only in private clinics meaning they cost a LOT of money, plus it might take 8 months or perhaps more to get an appointment. I don't know yet what I'm going to do. At least now I know that I'm not crazy, so that's comforting :lol: So there'll be another update possibly in 8 months. I just want to thank all of you for your advice. Thanks 8-)

[bariman]

It's not that we're crazy or not, it's the degree to which we are crazy :twisted:

Observe:

Mansion Family= nearly 100% Crazy

Average saxophonist= about 50%-50% IMO Crazy

The other "Normals"= about 20%-80% Crazy

[JimD]

I have similar problems but they're pretty low key so I either don't worry about them, or I try to find a workaround. I'll bet the things that are worrying you are more common than is generally thought. Mostly it's to do with lack of concentration or my brain running faster than my body, rather than dyslexia. In the case of phone numbers it's usually because people rattle them off faster than I can write, people giving mobile numbers are the worst. Reading and writing; I make mistakes when I'm tired, distracted or rushed; reading music I just force myself to concentrate and supplement it with my ear. Left and right confusion, more common in women I was told, I relate to my hands, I know which one is which, but still make mistakes. When giving directions I've been known to indicate with my right arm and say turn left. Funny things brains, at least mine seems to be.

[sw3119]

Kim,

I have the same thing happen from time to time. I sometime write my b's as d's. Sometime when I am reading music I look a an A and think it's a C (within the staff). I also scramble letters when I'm writing too fast. Some of this I think is more from ADD or not concentrating/mind wandering than dyslexia. On the other hand, I 'm very good at reading words that are upside down or backwards.

In some ways, at least creatively, I think this can be a good thing.

Some people can only think in a linear fashion. Right to left, top to bottom. They need to organize everything in to lists and then move from step1 to step2. And if they miss a step there lost.

Other people think in more of an analog fashion. Jumping around in an almost random pattern and sometimes finding relationships and connections that aren't obvious at first glance.

[kcp]

Yes this is fairly comon. Apparently 1 out of 10 people display symptoms of some learning dissability to a mild or more severe degree. The question is: How serious it is? How is it affecting my life? Well, obviously I'm 31 and I think I've gotten away with this not so badly. But then again, I'm a graphic designer so I rarely have to do maths and I don't write and don't correct the text that is given to me to include in a brochure or other works that I'm doing. I just take care of the visual aspect which is something that I'm very good at.

However, this would explain how come when I was younger and still studying, that I got fired on nearly every "linear" job I applied to. Among others, I had a job as a secretary in the payroll department of some company. Not only I got fired but I have also been ridiculyzed for the "mistakes" I was doing which at the time, I totally didn't understand and which, I couldn't even explain to myself how come - Another job I had was a cahsier in a 24hrs convenience store.. My cash never balanced at the end of the day, not just by a few dollars, I'm talking about 100, 200 and sometimes as much as 300$! -- I got fired from that job too, this time I was accused of stealing money.

Anyway, now I know better. I know NOT to take a job which involves dealing with cash or numbers. But today, even though I'm doing graphic desing for a living, I work freelance so I still have to write an invoice to my customers. And it's kinda annoying to have to start over the invoice, sometimes 4 or 5 times before I get it right. People are generally forgiving the 1st and 2nd time, but after 3 or 4 times they start wondering if I'm not trying to screw them. That's a problem. And it is annoying too, to be constantly told "pay more attention" or "try to make an effort" when in fact I am paying attention and that I am making efforts. That's really annoying.

Honnestly right now, I don't know if I wanna do something about it. I could in fact just accept the way I am (which I have) and leave the others having to accept the fact that I am the way I am and if they can't deal with that well that's just too bad. It would be easyer that way for sure, but is it right to do that, is it responsible for me to behave like that?? I'm gonna take some time to think about that.

[BayviewSax]

Stupid as it sounds, slow down and concentrate. The brain tends to move more quickly than the motor skills. Slowing down helps. It's helped me greatly.

This is a great comment. Sorry to revive this dead horse, but I did not learn of my dyslexia until I was 22. I went back and read all of my grade school report cards about 5 years ago and the explanation of my behavior was painfully obvious. Dyslexia DOES affect your ability to do *anything* with symbols, but the issue becomes exaccerbated when you rush or are tired (as I am at this moment :wink: ).

sw3119 was commenting about confusing b's and d's, that is a classic symptom. For those of us worse off, you can add the q's and p's to that list. Man, am I glad I learned to type!

I have the same issue with sight-reading (my sight reading is abysmal). My most recent embarrassing moment was mistaking an accent in a chart for a decrescendo. It would not have been so bad, but I think others were paying attention to what I was doing and following my example. What made matters worse is when the leader stopped us to find out when we were decrescendoing. With a straight face and a wise-*** tone in my voice (it's a loose group), I said, "Because that's what's written, duh." :oops:

It's worth the money for the test, if only for the peace of mind. Usually, a little extra time is the greatest benefit for someone who is dyslexic.

[Jbroad572]

Wow, I have similar symptoms. It's really gotten bad, especially with my typing and writing. My words are usually always combined and I am usually thinking of another word while writing the word I meant to use and they somehow are combined when I reread. I also do the same thing with my words verbally at times. I'm 19, I guess I should see a Doc about this :(.

[kcp]

Jbroad572 : If it could make you feel better; Just know that everybody can reverse/ommit/substitute letters when writting, everybody can make all sorts of little mistakes like those that are noted in the above threads and yet, not everybody is dyslexic or has a learning dissability - But if those little mistakes happen more often than just occasionally and if it troubles you in some way, like imapiring your self confidence, your relations with co-workers or you know, something like that then you really have a problem - Don't let it get to you and make you feel down - In my case, just speaking to a specialist made me feel a lot better about myself. It made me understand and more especially realize what goes on inside my brain and why it is that I make these types of mistakes. The reason I do make these mistakes is in fact very simple: I cannot clearly visualize words, letters or numbers mentally. All I see is a bunch of blurry stuff. That's just it :)

So if you suspect something's wrong with you, I really encourage you to go see a speacialist just for the sake of knowing. It can only help.
Cheerz 8-)

[Saxplanc]

Hi Kim,
My son was diagnosed dyslexic during a medical at the end of nine years sevice in the RAF. He was a radar technician servicing Jaguars. He then went through a fairly intense course of therapy for dyslexia, mostly simple tricks of the mind to boot the brain in a slightly different direction. In no way do I demean this, it's clever stuff. He then went back to University and graduated with honours. One of the outcomes of this is that I identified some of my own shortcomings as dyslexia. No complaints because it seems I developed my own techniques, I'm sixty six. There are also major advantages to dyslexia. One is spatial awareness, the ability to visualise 3d figures for instance. Also problem solving. In my case I have a great difficulty with written music yet the horn seems directly connected to my brain.Nobody gets it all!

It is a fascinating subject, I could go on all day.

Hope this helps, Tony.

[kcp]

Yes, it's the same thing for me too, I've developped several compensation tricks on my own. Several of these tricks, I always had no idea why I was doing them. I simply thought I just had a knack for doing certain things a certain way. The way the brain and mind work sure are very complex... it's fascinating.

Since I started this thread quite some time ago, got some good advice but my initial question never got answered. Maybe you can... Did you have any idea of compensating tricks which may help to to cope with music and sight reading issues?

[paulwl]

I think it's mostly "find another major or line of work"... :( Sightreading is non-negotiable in music schools and there's not much help offered.

[kcp]

Well maybe not. I understand that none can just change the musical notation system. That's not what I had in mind anyway. But I'm sure there are ways that can help. For instance after reading a lot on the subject of dyslexia, espescially dyseidesia (the perceptual form of dyslexia) I found-out that it is possible to minimize its effects by changing the color of the background. I experimented with that and found-out that the best color for me is sort of like a light tan green. So I changed the background color of my computer environement to that color.

Now I'm thinking about buying some paper of that color to print my music sheets on it. I just need to find paper the right color. I'm pretty sure it's going to make a difference since it already did with my computer environement. While it will possibly enable me to read music better, unfortunately it won't help me memoryse it. The only way I can help myself memoryse music is by ear which is great but in some cases I can't always "hear" it and I feel that to have another kind of reference, like a visual reference that that would be of better help.

I'm starting to have an idea inspired from one of the compensating tricks I been using for caculus; While I fail to perceive numbers mentally, I have an increased perception for geometric shapes and patterns and 3 dimentionnal visualisation. So what I been doing since grade school is to visualize the geometric dot patterns of playing dices to help myself do calculus - I started playing bass guitar 3 years ago and realized that while I cannot remember by heart chord progressions, that I can somehow remember the position on my bass fretboard of every b5th, #9's etc and chords irregularities in a sequence, as well as a number of different possibilies for each "chords" in the proper sequence, even though I don't know the chord sequence...I know, that's weird. But at least for me that's a sign that I am in fact understanding something, somehow. It's a good thing that the bass is a visual instrument. Unfortunately the saxophone isn't. So lately I began visualizing my bass frettboard when playing saxophone. It helps some but it's not perfect.

Anyway, this is starting to be quite a long post and don't want to bore you folks to death. This is just to say that the above is the kind of "tricks" that I'm looking for. If you have some trick like that to share, even if you think it's silly, it doesn't matter. If it works for you it could work for someone else too.

[Martin Williams]

With my Dyslexia, Ive found that little things help. Try writting the letter for the first note in a figure at the begining of the figure, or write out the chords above the piece. That helped me ENOURMOUSLY

Martin Williams

[tenor562]

I don't think I have learning problems or anything, it doesn't do much to me, but I always write notes and musical symbols backwards naturally. Usually someone points it out to me and I fix it, and it's over. The symbols usually look right, just they're not on the right side, ex. flats and sharps. Maybe its just inexperience.