Curious Edge

Curious Edge: Hope for Those With ADHD, Dyslexia

kimberly hudson and friendBy Kimberly Hudson

Photo: Kimberly Hudson & Olivia Brewer

 

I had the opportunity recently to share my passion, which is wrapped in a package called The Curious Edge Foundation, at a taping at the WKYT-TV studio of Heart of Gold.

Heart of Gold highlights nonprofit organizations in Lexington.

I took a student with me, Olivia Brewer, 17, who was recently diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD.

Coincidentally, October is National Dyslexia Awareness Month and ADHD Awareness Month.

Olivia worked two to three times harder in school as her peers but was determined to make good grades … and she did.

Olivia completed our cognitive interventions at The Curious Edge and is currently working on ACT Prep. She is also volunteering at our office through her work-study program at Lafayette High.

She is an articulate, outstanding young woman who is willing to share her struggles.

I am passionate about these learning differences because dyslexia affects one in five people, and ADHD is a coexisting condition 40% of the time.

Dyslexia can only be diagnosed by a medical doctor, trained psychologist or speech-language pathologist.

Early warning signs include confusion about right versus left, difficulty learning to tie shoes, struggling to learn/write the alphabet and struggling to write your entire name correctly.

By third or fourth grade, comprehension issues can emerge because children work so hard to recognize words they have little energy left to comprehend them.

These children can spend hours studying for a test, only to receive a poor grade, which can erode confidence.

If not addressed by middle school, these struggles can increase the risk of school avoidance, poor choices and even juvenile detention.

There is a solution. Often, these are bright kids with an average to above average IQ. They simply need to be taught differently.

They need tools for academic success, and these tools are nearly as vital as food and shelter. You cannot provide for your family without being educated enough to get a job.

I want to be their voice, advocating for their needs.

By giving these kids the academic tools they need, we are increasing their chance of success and increasing their chance of making a positive contribution to our community.

 

Info:  (859) 899-3343 (EDGE) or http://thecuriousedge.com.