Dysnomia...now there's a mouthful!

Being the daughter of a dyslexic and the mom of two dyslexics, I've always struggled with what to do when my kids or Mom are struggling with finding a word. It's like they can remember every other word to describe what they are trying to say, but not the word they mean. Here's an example of how it goes....my son was telling me a story about something he saw on the way home from school and he couldn't remember the word for bus, but he remembered that it was yellow and big. It carries the kids to and from school and it's a vehicle. I felt like I was playing a word game, which I don't mind because I love word games, but I always feel bad for him when he has a moment of suffering from dysnomia...yes, it has a name. Actually, it's a disorder and it has a medical classification. As usual, my attitude has been...call it what you want just tell me how to help my kids and my mom, while we are it.

I went to a workshop recently at Woodland Hall Academy, the school my children attend, and thankfully the principal provided some answers and shared some tips on how to help someone who has dysnomia.

My oldest son seems to suffer the most from dysnomia. He has a very difficult time remembering names and recalling words. When he reads, I can give him a word he doesn't know, but he can't remember it the next time he sees it in a following sentence. It can be frustrating for both of us but the workshop I attended provided strategies and ways to keep us both from getting frustrated. Here's a few that we have found useful...

1. Don't play the rhyming game. In other words, don't say it rhymes with a word. People with dysnomia aren't good at rhyming.

2. Give the person time, don't get frustrated with them when they can't come up with the word.

3. Sometimes it's best just to give them the word. This reduces the frustration and provides the opportunity to focus on the content of what they are saying.

4. When reading and they can't remember the word, just give it to them and focus on the story.

At this point, I'm grateful for the tips and hope they help others. I'm also so grateful that my children are at a school they love and, most importantly, they love learning!!!