Discussing Dyslexia on BBC Radio Essex

Earlier this month The Key Clinic founder Sarah Warley was interviewed about dyslexia on BBC Radio Essex. Dyslexia is a hot topic in the press at the moment - entrepreneur Richard Branson recently described his dyslexia as a ‘superpower’ and attributed it to his career success. Nick Jones, the founder of Soho House Group also told the Diary of a CEO podcast that he was grateful he had been diagnosed with dyslexia at an early age.

We know that people with dyslexia tend to have very smart, creative brains. However, they have to rely on their higher cognitive skills to endlessly compensate for the fact that their neurological “autopilot” skills have not been turned on.

Whilst we are picking up dyslexia at a younger age, there is still a general lack of awareness that even those who are performing well at school could be struggling with dyslexia.

Sarah discussed:

• How a child could be excelling academically but at the expense of them vastly overcompensating. Often they are only diagnosed as dyslexic at a much older age

• How The Key Clinic screens across year groups in schools in order to pick dyslexia up at an earlier age

• How we assess for the underlying causes that could be creating symptoms of dyslexia in the first place

• The role of primitive reflexes in dyslexia and how many of those diagnosed with dyslexia also have a ATNR (asymmetrical tonic neck reflex) and how it affects eye tracking

• How we are able to ease dyslexic symptoms with neurodevelopmental exercises

• The relationship between auditory processing and dyslexia

Whilst dyslexia is more prevalent than ever, there is hope in us being able to work with the underlying contributing factors and make life much easier for those who suffer.