Matt Baker has opened up about his experience of a common condition that many of us may have without realising.
Dyslexia affects around one in 10 Brits, according to the NHS, but some people with the learning difficulty might not know they have it. The Countryfile presenter said it is his “superpower,” despite it impacting his career in television – especially when dealing with auto-cues and last-minute script changes.
“It’s funny, because when you ask what’s the biggest mistake I’ve made, I actually don’t notice them,” he told Woman’s Weekly. “They’re just part of the learning. My dad’s dyslexic, my son’s dyslexic. And it’s just not an issue for us.”
So, how can you tell if you have dyslexia? According to advocate and Netflix’s Love On The Spectrum star Kaelynn Partlow, there are 10 signs that can appear in adults with dyslexia – although the condition affects everyone differently.
Having received specialist tutoring after her early diagnosis, Partlow is keen to raise awareness as not everyone gets the treatment she did. “There are countless adults who still remain undiagnosed,” she said. “So here are 10 signs you could be dyslexic.”
First, she said finding reading tiring or frustrating can be a sign, as can using upper case letters to prevent mixing them up or getting confused.
Thirdly, she pointed out that relying on others for information, like needing to ask for help to read out and provide medical information at the doctor’s, could be a sign.
Adults with dyslexia may confuse their right from their left, she added. Fifth, she said it is not uncommon for dyslexia sufferers to need several readings of a text to grasp its meaning fully.
One of dyslexia’s more commonly-known symptoms is finding reading words to be a challenge, with children frequently jumbling letters and struggling with spelling. But Kaelynn also highlighted that adults might misinterpret other types of information, such as expiration dates on food.
Proofreading is a chore many would rather avoid, but for those with dyslexia, it’s an even steeper uphill battle. Errors can often slip through, even when a piece of work has been checked multiple times, according to Kaelynn.
Following written instructions can be particularly tough for adults with dyslexia, which Kaelynn demonstrated by showing someone who finds cooking directions too complex and opts to order takeout instead.
While many people have unpleasant memories of reading aloud in school, Kaelynn pointed out that adults with dyslexia may still face anxiety around reading out loud.
Lastly, Kaelynn shared that multitasking could present a significant challenge for adults with dyslexia, potentially leading to “cognitive overload.”
The NHS recognised dyslexia as a specific learning difficulty – meaning it impacts certain skills such as reading and writing, but does not affect intelligence.
According to the health service, individuals with dyslexia may experience challenges that include reading and writing at a slow pace; getting the order of letters muddled within words; confusing letters with similar appearances or reversing similar letters (like “b” and “d”); poor or inconsistent spelling; and difficulty processing written information, albeit often grasping concepts more easily when explained verbally.
Those with dyslexia may also find following a set of directions challenging and struggle with planning and organisational tasks.