The hosts discuss learning disorders like dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, and dyspraxia. They explore the neurological aspects and the impact of culture and environment on these conditions. They also touch on the connection between learning disorders and societal expectations for women. Additionally, they talk about hand-eye coordination, birth method, and the influence of genetics and environment on learning difficulties.
Learning disorders such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, and dyspraxia represent neurodiversity and can have various impacts on individuals.
The cultural specificity of classifying disorders and the influence of different writing systems on individuals with dyslexia are important considerations in understanding and supporting those with learning disorders.
Deep dives
Introduction to the Importance of Taking Care of Your Health
The podcast episode begins with a discussion on the importance of taking care of one's health and the challenges of maintaining a healthy lifestyle in practice. The speaker shares their personal experience of using supplements to bridge nutritional gaps but finding it difficult to stick to a supplement regime due to pill aversion. They introduce AG1 as a foundational nutrition supplement that supports whole-body health and is easy to consume by mixing one scoop with water.
Exploring Learning Disorders in the Context of Neurodiversity
The episode transitions to a discussion on learning disorders and their impact on neurodivergent individuals. The hosts emphasize that autism and ADHD are often more well-known, but learning disorders, such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyspraxia, and dyscalculia, also represent neurodiversity. The hosts provide an overview of dyslexia, dysgraphia, and their differences in alphabetic and logographic writing systems. They highlight that dyslexia involves difficulty in breaking down words into speech sounds in alphabetic systems, while dyslexia in logographic systems revolves around visual memory challenges. The hosts discuss the cultural specificity of classifying disorders and the impact of writing systems on individuals with dyslexia.
Understanding Dyscalculia and its Impact on Quantitative Reasoning
The episode delves into dyscalculia, a math-related learning disorder, focusing on individuals' difficulties in intuitively understanding quantitative concepts. The hosts discuss how dyscalculia affects children's need for visual representations, such as using fingers to grasp mathematical concepts. They highlight the challenging understanding of concepts like fractions despite having knowledge and intelligence. The episode promotes understanding that struggling with math does not reflect intelligence and suggests using calculators as an assistive tool.
Exploring Dyspraxia and its Influence on Motor Coordination
The hosts conclude the episode by discussing dyspraxia, a movement coordination disorder. They highlight dyspraxia's impact on speech, fine and gross motor skills, and the challenges individuals face in coordinating and planning motor movements. They touch upon speech dyspraxia, which affects pronunciation and the use of physical manipulables to aid comprehension. Occupational therapy and breaking down tasks into smaller steps are suggested for children with dyspraxia, emphasizing early intervention. The hosts discuss how experiences and genetic factors contribute to individuals' differences and the importance of recognizing overlapping neurodivergent conditions.
In this episode Monique and Michelle discuss the learning disorders – dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, and dyspraxia. What are they, what’s going on neurologically in these conditions, and how does our culture and environment impact the expression of these conditions.