WHY I WROTE THIS BOOK (continued)

To try and attempt to describe a typical dyslexic in black and white terms is almost impossible.  Furthermore, dyslexic learning difficulties can and often do take several differing forms and can be at several different levels of disability for each form.  Consequently, I have tried to steer away from the contradictory aspects of dyslexic behaviour and attempted to deal with what is generally understood.  Nevertheless, I have used such phrases as many dyslexics, most dyslexics, often dyslexics will to signify that what may generally be true for most dyslexics will almost certainly not be true for all.

It has become common when writing about dyslexic children to refer to all dyslexics as if they were male.  I have continued this trend in this book, I could justify this by continuing to propagate a well established myth by stating that in reality three out four dyslexics are male and so they constitute the majority.  The truth is a little more believable.  Being severely dyslexic myself, I find it difficult enough to structure sentences using only a single gender, so more or less, I have given in to my own inadequacies in the interest of finishing this book quickly.  Furthermore, as chairman of British Dyslexics I know only too well from the many thousands of parents that contact our telephone help line each year, that there are equally as many girls who are dyslexic, as there are boys.  That said, I hope that the women reading this book will forgive me for not being politically correct and accept my word that I am no chauvinist.  Similarly I have used the word child to apply equally to all age groups unless otherwise specified.  This I can justify: as unresolved dyslexic problems do remain with people throughout their lifetime and as far as I understand it, all dyslexic children ultimately become dyslexic adults.