Meet Ian from Children's Dyslexia Center in Madison
by Children's Dyslexia Center - Madison
From the time Ian (pictured above second from the right) was very young, his parents, Dana and Justin, knew something was different about the way Ian learned. As a kindergartner, he seemed to struggle with even the basics. Ian grew frustrated as he fell behind, sometimes becoming combative and yelling. His teacher told his parents that he was young and they shouldn't jump to conclusions. But Dana said, "In my heart of hearts, I felt like something was wrong."
Finally, Dana and Justin went to their family doctor. The doctor referred them to a neuropsychologist. After months of waiting, they were able to get in and have series of tests done. The diagnosis came back within days: dyslexia.
Finding the Children's Dyslexia Center
Ian's parents had heard of dyslexia but didn't know much about it or what to do next. Then a friend told them about The Children's Dyslexia Center in Madison (CDC-M).
Dana and Justin signed Ian up but were warned it could be a 1.5 to 2 years wait before they got in.
In the meantime, the family did everything they could to help Ian. But nothing seemed to help. "He avoided doing anything that involved reading,” Justin explained. "He was aware that it was easier for other people to read-that it just wasn't clicking for him. “When Ian tried to read, he often got frustrated and threw his book across the room.
When Justin and Dana got the call that CDC-M bad an opening for Ian, they weren't sure what to expect. Ian's progress was slow at first-but steady. N ow, a year and a half into the program, his parents can see incredible progress. "It's a night and day difference," Dana said. "Now he wakes up early and we'll find him lying on the couch, reading a book,” Justin explained.
Ian is thriving in his fifth-grade class. He's reading on grade level and set to graduate soon from CDC-M. For his parents, just as important as the impact on Ian's reading has been the impact on his self-esteem. "He used to say, 'I can't get it. I'm stupid," Justin explained. "Now after receiving tutoring here, he knows he can do it." Ian, now age ten, sees the difference too. "Some things I do here are hard," Ian said. "But I like it. It helps me think. And things are easier after I come here.
