How people with dyslexia cope with everyday life "It often takes me longer to understand letters like this"

Around 400,000 people in Switzerland have some form of dyslexia. Two of them tell blue News what life with dyslexia is like and what hurdles they have to overcome.

Franny, a Swiss content creator, is active on Tiktok and Instagram. But there are challenges behind the scenes: Franny lives with dyslexia, also known as dyslexia, and talks openly about how it shapes her everyday life - and why, despite everything, she firmly believes she can achieve anything.

This is also how she became famous. She now reaches 2.6 million viewers on Tiktok alone with the slips of the tongue that she posts on her video channels.

Support with documents

"My everyday life is special because of social media anyway," explains Franny. "It's difficult to compare my daily routine with other people without dyslexia." But she notices that her dyslexia becomes noticeable when reading official documents. "It often takes me longer to understand such letters and I get help."

She describes another hurdle as follows: "Sometimes I don't have the words. I want to explain something but can't find the right word and have to paraphrase it." Her friend, who is studying speech therapy, has explained to her that this is typical for people with dyslexia. But Franny takes it in her stride: "I've learned to deal with it and make the best of it."

Bad experiences? Not any more!

Franny remembers her school days, when her dyslexia was not yet recognized. "People sometimes laughed when I read aloud in class, and that made me uncomfortable." But she has also experienced positive things: today she is surrounded by an environment that supports her. "Many of my best friends are studying speech therapy or will become teachers. They not only help me, but also the next generation."

Franny is convinced that her dyslexia doesn't stop her from doing anything. "I can do anything I want! There are always ways, even if they involve more effort." Even at school, she achieved good grades with compensation for disadvantages. This means that her weakness was taken into account when grades were awarded. Nevertheless, she emphasizes that her heart is in her current job: "No job would give me as much pleasure as mine." And it is also easy to reconcile with dyslexia.

More education and understanding in society

Franny would like dyslexia to be discussed more openly in schools and society. "Many people don't even know that dyslexia looks different for everyone affected. It's not just about weaknesses in reading or writing - that's a misconception." It is particularly important to her that children learn early on that dyslexia, ADHD or similar issues are not a reason for shame.

"My mother is a teacher and recognizes as early as possible whether her pupils need support. I wish I had done that back then too." For Franny, one thing is clear: "The earlier you discuss and normalize such issues, the better it is for everyone."

Difficulties with the application process

Nora M.* also has dyslexia. She mainly sees hurdles in working life. "For example, in the job interview, care was taken not to make any spelling mistakes. Not everyone understands dyslexia," explains M. But she is lucky: "Others deal with it really well. My boss trusts me completely and shows understanding."

M. also sees problems with education: "Schools are quick to pigeonhole children these days. It used to be different when I was at school." For those who really do have dyslexia, it is important to clarify this as early as possible. "That way you can react early enough and help," explains Nora M. She quickly received support from speech therapy at school and learned a lot in the process.

Society needs to be sensitized early on

"I think the world of work should be more open. People with dyslexia should also be given a chance," says M. There are opportunities today, including with artificial intelligence, that can help a lot.

"We dyslexics are very sensitive and have already had bad experiences at school. For example, certain classmates didn't want to be in the same group when it came to a writing exercise." That is why it is all the more important to talk about dyslexia early on so that society is made aware of it.

Today's support is inadequate

Dyslexia affects 3 to 6 percent of children in Switzerland. Claudine Gerber, speech therapist and psychologist, calls for more targeted support for affected pupils - and criticizes the current system.

Parents used to report their children to the school psychological service to find out whether they had dyslexia. Today, this task is often carried out by speech therapists, explains Gerber.

However, the current support is often inadequate: "Much more should be invested in targeted dyslexia therapies that are precisely tailored to the type of dyslexia." Instead, remedial teachers are used who work in classes and "help a little bit everywhere". For Gerber, this is more of a band-aid than a long-term solution.

Challenges in everyday life

Gerber sees a major problem in the lack of expertise of many teachers: "Many teachers have no idea what dyslexia is." A sensitivity for the children's difficulties is essential, but is often lacking. Parents are also often overwhelmed and don't know who they can turn to. "Sometimes it's not clear who clarifies things," says Gerber. Nevertheless, she emphasizes that there are good places to go - if you know them.

Many dyslexics are highly intelligent but have a partial performance disorder. "You have to know: I have these strengths and these weaknesses," explains Gerber. It is important to never stop working on them.

The involvement of parents and a supportive environment play a key role in this. Another option could be group discussions in which those affected work together on strategies.

In many cases, dyslexia is inherited. "However, this says nothing about the severity of the dyslexia," explains Gerber.

*Name known to the editors