All about Dyslexia and the movie "Taare Zameen Par"

The movie Taare Zameen Par or “Every Child is Special” was recommended to me by my son’s former Occupational Therapist to watch.  He said that it is a good movie for us to understand kids with disabilities more. And me and my husband was glad that we did watched it.

The movie is about an eight-year-old boy named Ishaan and his struggles not only at school but also in life as a whole. He is good kid, he loves his mom, respects his dad and idolize his older brother. But he has problems at school with his subjects and his teachers doesn’t know what to do with him.  He writes some letters and numbers in reverse, just like mirror like images. He cannot read because he sees the letters differently. But his mind is full of imagination and dreams and he can express them in his art. His parents, having been very troubled with his behavior and low grades, decided to transfer him to a boarding school so that the teachers there could discipline him more instead of understanding him and asking for professional help.  The kid almost fell into depression and seclusion. It’s a good thing that there is a newly transferred professor at that place who noticed something wrong about him and wanted to know what is his problem.  I will not give any spoilers about the movie but to cut the long story short, he helped the kid to reach his full potential.

We recommend you to watch this movie to be able to understand kids with disabilities more.

So, What is Dyslexia? 

According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, dyslexia is a learning disability that can hinder a person’s ability to read, write, spell, and sometimes speak. Dyslexia is the most common learning disability in children and persists throughout life. The severity of dyslexia can vary from mild to severe.

Children with dyslexia have difficulty in learning to read despite traditional teachings or instructions, at least average intelligence, and an adequate opportunity to learn. It is usually caused by an impairment in the brain’s ability to translate images received from the eyes or ears into understandable language. It does not result from vision or hearing problems. It is also not due to mental retardation, brain damage, or lack of intelligence.

Signs and Symptoms of Dyslexia

• Letter and number reversals
• Difficulty copying from the blackboard or a book
• A child may not be able to remember content, even if it involves a favorite video or storybook
• The child may appear to be uncoordinated and have difficulty with organized sports or games.
• Difficulty with left and right is common, and often dominance for either hand has not been established.

– info via: www.medicinenet.com

If you suspect that your son or daughter has any of the above symptoms, it is advisable to consult a Developemental Pediatrician to check him or her.  It is the first step, if you want to help and understand them.  Through early intervention and with your loving support, I believe that your kids will learn and can battle his disabilities.