The lived experience of parents who have children with a profile of dyslexia

Abstract

The aim of this study was to gain insight on the different experiences, challenges, and emotions that parents experience when they have a child who has a profile of dyslexia. This subject is important because parents go through a difficult time to come to terms with the fact that their child has a learning difficulty, and there is so much that can be done to help parents deal with it more easily. The data were gathered qualitatively; through five parents who have children with a profile of dyslexia, who were interviewed and audio-recorded for this study. The data was then analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Five themes emerged: (1) Awareness and Concern; (2) Acceptance; (3) Support; (4) School and Educational System; and (5) Challenges. The participants’ stories show that there needs to be more awareness on dyslexia and that the educational system needs to change to be more inclusive of children with learning disabilities.