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Irlen Syndrome Awareness Week

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Jennifer14Owen
Jennifer14Owen Community member Posts: 19 Courageous

Irlen Syndrome Awareness Week 

Irlen Syndrome Awareness week is an important week. It gives us a chance to show people there is no need to struggle. It is a worldwide event to bring attention to Irlen Syndrome by sharing things about it.

We want lots of people to know about Irlen Syndrome. So, if we talk about it and do things to draw attention to Irlen Syndrome, then we hope more people will learn about it and more people may be helped by the Irlen overlays and filters.

It will be our eighth Irlen Syndrome Awareness Week this October, so let’s make it a fantastic one. We want to reach more people and educate more people about Irlen Syndrome. It is so important, and for Irlen Syndrome to be the centre of attention for a whole week is amazing.

So, join us to learn about Irlen Syndrome and what it is. Maybe we can change someone’s life that did not that they had Irlen syndrome, or how coloured lenses could transform their life? We don’t want anyone to struggle when there are solutions to the problems.

It’s also a chance to make Irlen Syndrome stand out so that more important people will learn about it how affects people in different ways too, as many people still don’t know about it which is sad.

image of Jennifer wearing her irlen lenses

Raising awareness of Irlen Syndrome

Raising awareness of Irlen Syndrome is so important because not many people know about it or that there are struggles.

Without raising awareness no one will know about Irlen syndrome and how it affects both children' and adults. so, by raising awareness of Irlen Syndrome more people will become aware and get answers to their struggles or those of their child,

By giving presentations and other things it helps people realised that Irlen Syndrome could be what they or their child have.

That’s why raising awareness of Irlen syndrome is so important, it changes lives for the better, there is no need to suffer in silence anymore when somebody could have Irlen Syndrome.

So raising awareness is important to help people with Irlen syndrome and for important people to know more about Irlen Syndrome and how it changes lives.

Not many people have heard of Irlen Syndrome and it’s vital for important people to know about Irlen Syndrome and how it affect people.

My journey

I couldn’t read or write properly without the words disappearing or going back and forth, ever-changing shapes go 3D and become blurry on the page.

My teachers thought  I was lazy, not trying  or not working hard enough and they would call me thick stupid dumb, stupid little thing  mental illness. I never achieved the grades the teachers wanted me to get .

This made schools and college very horrible for me so I did not learn to read or write, I could not cope with crowds and busy places and flashlights.

It all changed in 2012, when I got a referral for Irlen screening where I met a lady called Angela. I was officially diagnosed with Irlen Syndrome at the age of 23.

We found that an aqua blue overlay  helped me at the time, then I had to wear blue tinted sunglasses and I was really scared and confused  after I was told that the Irlen filters cost £500. My family couldn’t afford them, and I was also told to use blue paper and reading rulers.

Useful links:

Comments

  • Ross_Alumni
    Ross_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,652 Disability Gamechanger
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    Thanks to @Jennifer14Owen for contributing your thoughts on Irlen Awareness Week :) 

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  • L_Volunteer
    L_Volunteer Community Volunteer Adviser, Scope Member Posts: 7,978 Disability Gamechanger
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    Hi @Jennifer14Owen

    Thanks so much for your really insightful post about Irlen Syndrome. I learnt a lot from reading your post. It is great to see that you had an exceptional practitioner who listened to you and helped you access screening. I always believe that even just one person can make such a huge difference and this proves it! Were you able to access funding for the filters in the end or does this remain a challenge for you? Thanks in advance for your further insights. I will look forward to hearing from you again soon  :)
    Community Volunteer Adviser with professional knowledge of education, special educational needs and disabilities and EHCP's. Pronouns: She/her. 

    Please note: if I use the online community outside of its hours of administration, I am doing so in a personal capacity only.

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