Approximately 10-20% of people have learning difficulties, and most cases are causes by genetic/hereditry factors. The condition has nothing to do with "cleverness" and covers the whole ability range. It should not affect one's ability to perform at a very high level.

The following are famous dyslexics from history:

• Albert Einstein -did not begin to read until he was nine, but by the age of twelve was a brilliant mathematician and physicist. He failed his first attempt at entrance into college and lost two teaching jobs because of his dyslexia but when his theory of relativity was finally recognised, he became world famous and received the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921.
  
  
• Leonardo da Vinci 1452 - 1519. Leonardo was a most prolific inventor, painter, architect, scientist and engineer. His inventions are world famous. He even designed a helicopter and submarine four hundred years before it became practical to produce these machines. We can see his mirror writing in his notebooks in the British Museum in London..
  
  
• Thomas Edison, a prolific US inventor. His most famous invention was the electric light bulb in 1879
  
  
• Hans Christian Anderson, author of 168 fairy stories, including classics such as 'The Ugly Duckling', 'The Snow Queen' and 'The Little Mermaid'.
  
  
• Woodrow Wilson - President of the USA 1913-1921.

The word Dyslexia or "Specific Learning Difficulties (SLD)" comes from the Greek meaning "difficulty with words or language". This is an inadequate definition because it can show itself in many ways such as difficulty in tying shoelaces, bad hand-writing, poor short-term memory (for example in learning mathematics tables), mispronunciation of words, reversing of letters (deg for beg) and sequencing (act instead of cat).

Current research shows that dyslexia or SLD is a neurological problem with perception and information processing. It is vital to help the child to perceive the information they receive through the senses correctly (preferably via hearing, sight and their own actions) and to give them strategies to process this information easily.

Tutorials and games - which are specifically structured to assist children with these problems - are of enormous value. Once a child has a greater understanding of their difficulties and how to overcome them, it gives them confidence to tackle new challenges. Determination and a confident attitude with regards to overcoming the problems are an essential element in any child's success, and must be the goal of every parent.

A child with Attention Deficit Disorder often portrays dyslexic type symptoms because they have missed out on the learning process through lack of attention. They will also benefit from these activities as they find it easier to concentrate when playing computer games.

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