Taming the Invisible Dragon

In second grade Samantha Abeel brought in an invisible dragon for Show and Tell. In fourth grade she was chosen to participate in a creative problem solving competition called "Odyssey of the Mind." When she was fifteen she published a book of poetry.

Meanwhile, Samantha made so little progress on the piano--despite conscientious practicing--that her teacher recommended she quit. She couldn't read a clock, make change, or judge approximately how much time it would take to complete routine tasks. She was baffled about where to position the knife, fork, and spoon in a table setting.

Recognized by the school system as neither gifted nor special ed., Samantha was placed in regular ed. classes, where she excelled in most courses (and related standardized tests) but fell far short in math and science. School staff explained this discrepancy by insisting Samantha simply needed to put forth more effort.

In middle school Samantha began experiencing panic attacks that kept her awake most of the night and caused significant weight loss. Finally, in the 8th grade, Samantha's mother was able to persuade the school to re-test Samantha and register her for a special ed. math class. It was only then that Samantha and her parents learned that she had a learning disability--a problem outside her control, that had to do with the way her brain processes information; its name was dyscalculia.

My Thirteenth Winter; A Memoir by Samantha Abeel (New York: Orchard Books, 2003) takes Samantha into her young adult years, through her college experience, graduation, and subsequent "first" job.

You will not find a more eloquent description of the devastating effects of living with an undiagnosed (learning ) disability. (During college, Samantha was also diagnosed with depression.)

This book has many powerful lesson, including: The diverse population of individuals we classify as "special ed." or "gifted"; diagnosis as a source of both grief and hope; and the importance of recognizing and nurturing each person's gifts and talents, particularly when they are challenged with a significant disability.

As a cautionary tale, it underscores the damage we do when we tell our children who are struggling (or any of our clients in therapy), "You just have to try harder!"

Since the publication of her memoir, Ms. Abeel has earned a Master's Degree in Social Work. Currently, she lives in Michigan and is available to speak to groups of teachers, other professionals, parents, and students; she also leads writing workshops for young people. You can contact her through her website, http://www.samanthaabeel.com.

It's not easy, but Samantha is taming her invisible dragon.

(For more information about dyscalculia, visit www.dyscalculia.org [currently under construction] and www.dyscalculiaforum.com [which includes short, U-tube videos and an international discussion forum].)

[If you have personal experience with dyscalculia--you have been diagnosed with it, or are a helping professional or family member--please share with us through "Comment."]