I was Diagnosed with Dyslexia at 19, and Yes, it’s Kind of Funny 

By Katie McShane

Set the scene, you’re me – sitting opposite an educational psychologist. One quarter into the (2 Hour) test she asks me “So, what do you want to be after college?”, “Something in writing” I answer with a smile, acknowledging the irony.  

She doesn’t flinch, “A lot of famous writers were also dyslexic”. Ah. That’s how I find out. Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Dyslexic! 

Of course, a revelation like this does not come without its questions from friends, relatives, and basically everyone else. Fear not, this article will answer all – What does late dyslexic diagnoses look like? 

Why did it take so long? 

Despite being dyslexic for all my primary and secondary education, it was never picked up upon. As fair as anyone was aware I was a strong reader and writer with bad handwriting and a careless approach to spelling and grammar. This was mainly due to, what I now know is a common misconception, that dyslexia looks the same for everyone. The stereotype that dyslexia only affects reading and how people see letters and words, whether such letters are moving around or changing places. This is true for a lot of people with dyslexia, however, not everyone. Dyslexia is a processing disorder that can cause a great many other symptoms, aside from floating letters. There are lots of other signs that sit outside of this assumption which is where my diagnosis (and surely other late diagnoses) shows up.  

There are a lot of moments in primary school where I look back on now and think, ‘of course, that was the dyslexia’. How easily I could write down stories in creative writing, compared to how laborious I found copying a paragraph from the board, is but one example.  

How does it appear day to day? 

It’s not just in education that I can notice these features. Despite being a ‘learning difficulty’, dyslexia strays outside the realm of actually ‘learning’. At its core it is a processing disorder meaning I process information differently from other people which can be incredibly frustrating at times in more ways than you might think. I’ve been late for meetings and events before because I’ve read the clock, seen the time, and yet took it in as a completely different hour. Leaving me late, embarrassed, and without a reason I can explain to anyone without feeling crazy. But processing differently from others also can mean I get to a conclusion before them. Reading a sheet of instructions when building something I can understand perfectly what I need to do and often I end up annoyed when those around me are not picking up on the same details. Not to brag but I am incredible at building furniture. 

So, what does a late in life diagnosis mean for me? And is it worth getting one? I would say yes absolutely. Not only will it allow me to get support in university to help me in the areas I struggle with, like note taking, but it also gives me peace of mind around mistakes I may make. You may think post-secondary and beyond is too late to get a diagnosis and that there’s no point, but the understanding you gain is indispensable. If you have the means and opportunity, I recommend anyone who believes they’re dyslexic to take the leap and find out.