Recognizing October 2015 as Dyslexia Awareness Month in honor of individuals living with Dyslexia.

WHEREAS, Dyslexia is the most common learning disability; affecting one in five people in the United States. It has been estimated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that 15% of the population has dyslexia; and

WHEREAS, Of the children placed in special education for learning disabilities, about 70-80% have dyslexia; and

WHEREAS, Dyslexia can be diagnosed as early as kindergarten when a child struggles with letter/sound recognition, has an inability to read simple one syllable words and complains about reading; and

WHEREAS, Dyslexia is not a disease, so there is no cure.

It does not reflect an overall flaw in language.

People who suffer from dyslexia have difficulty in language processing. It is a learning disability that includes complication in the understanding and use of grammatical and symbolic words and numbers; and

WHEREAS, People with dyslexia are usually more creative and have an above average level of intelligence. People living with dyslexia simply learn differently and in fact have a host of cognitive and emotional strengths; and

WHEREAS, Dyslexia can range on a spectrum from mild to severe. Around 40% of all people with dyslexia also have been diagnosed with ADHD. Individuals with dyslexia end up spending about five times more energy on mental tasks than others; and

WHEREAS, When dyslexia goes undiagnosed, children and adults often feel frustrated, have low self-esteem, are at risk for dropping out of school and becoming involved in the criminal justice system and may not achieve their full potential in all aspects of their lives; and

WHEREAS, Early identification and intervention can produce remarkable outcomes and enhance a person’s ability to perform successfully in academic settings, as well as in their personal life. Some states, have introduced legislation for mandatory early testing for dyslexia; and

WHEREAS, In October 2015, the Pennsylvania Branch of the International Dyslexia Association hosted its 37th Conference on Literacy & Learning Disabilities; and

WHEREAS, Philadelphia has a longstanding history of calling attention to the standards surrounding quality of life for individuals with dyslexia, with efforts to identify and begin intervention with these individuals at an early age; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby recognize October 2015 as Dyslexia Awareness Month in honor of the individuals living with dyslexia.

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