A POET originally from East Lancashire has called for the topic of dyslexia to be part of the teacher-training programme.

Christina Gabbitas’s son was misdiagnosed as not having the condition by two primary schools, despite her efforts to highlight the issue to them.

She relayed her disappointment to Education Secretary Michael Gove when she met the politician at a fundraising event.

She said: “I was quite angry that I had been ignored and that all those primary school years when my son could have been taught accordingly were missed.

“I think the topic and diagnosis of dyslexia should be in the teacher-training programme, to stop so many children slipping through the net.

“Early diagnosis and support are paramount.

“This should save time and money and ensure that every child gets an equal opportunity in education. Dyslexia should not be a barrier to an individual’s success.

“Winston Churchill had dyslexia and Richard Branson has the condition.”

Mrs Gabbitas, who hails from Blackburn, said the politician agreed with her and was intrigued by her suggestion, stating that it might be something the government would consider.

The poet is running Eight Line Rhyme, a competition encouraging youngsters to submit a rhyming stanza exploring their worries and friendships. Rhyme is said to help children become more able readers, improve their memory and give them a grasp of sentence structure.

This coincides with the release of her ‘Felicity Fly’ series of six books helping children to overcome their phobias. Mrs Gabbitas said: “I wanted a competition for all abilities to take part in, and rhyming is a great way for children to learn and have fun in the process.”

The author will be signing books at WH Smith, Blackburn, on Saturday February 23 at 10.30am. To enter a poem for the Eight Line Rhyme competition, visit www.poemsandpictures. co.uk/competition.