Gwen Stefani ‘discovered’ she had dyslexia after her three children were diagnosed

Gwen Stefani ‘discovered’ she had dyslexia after all three of her children were diagnosed with the learning disorder.

The singer, 51, who has Kingston, 14, Zuma, 12, and six-year-old Apollo with ex-husband Gavin Rossdale, said she only realised the true extent of her issues when her kids had trouble reading.

Gwen went onto admit that she also struggled at school due to the disorder and now realises it had a huge effect on her confidence during the early days of her career.

Candid: Gwen Stefani has revealed she ‘discovered’ she had dyslexia after all three of her children were diagnosed with the learning disorder

Speaking on Zane Lowe on his Apple Music podcast, Gwen explained: ‘ One thing that I’ve discovered through having kids is that I have dyslexia — everyone has things that happen and mine was that. 

‘And I feel like a lot of the problems that I have had or even decisions that I’ve made for myself stem from that, because now the children — obviously, it’s all genetic — they have some of those issues.

‘But now they get all these benefits. They have these incredible teachers and schools and they don’t have to have shame about it. They understand that their brain functions in a different way. All of our brains do, you know what I mean?’

Proud: The singer shares Kingston, 14, Zuma, 12, and six-year-old Apollo with ex-husband Gavin Rossdale (pictured in 2018)

Proud: The singer shares Kingston, 14, Zuma, 12, and six-year-old Apollo with ex-husband Gavin Rossdale (pictured in 2018)

The hitmaker recalled how she ‘failed at school’ as she couldn’t keep up with her classmates, and now realises that her brain simply ‘works in a different way.’ 

She said: ‘I was a good girl. I didn’t do any bad stuff. It was just really hard for me to function in that square box of school that everybody was supposed to be understanding. 

‘And my brain didn’t work like that; it still doesn’t. But it works in different ways that are probably a gift that other people can’t do.’

Candid: Gwen said she only realised the true extent of her issues when her children had trouble reading, adding the disorder unknowingly affected her confidence early in her career

Candid: Gwen said she only realised the true extent of her issues when her children had trouble reading, adding the disorder unknowingly affected her confidence early in her career

What is dyslexia? 

Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that can cause problems with reading, writing and spelling, but intelligence isn’t affected.

1 in every 10 people struggle with the lifelong problem in the UK and the US. 

People with dyslexia often have good skills in other areas, such as problem solving and creative thinking.

Signs of dyslexia include:  

Confusing the order of letters in words 

Reading and writing very slowly 

Finding difficulty in carrying out directions, planning and organising 

Having poor and/or inconsistent spelling  

Forming letters the wrong way round (e.g. writing ‘b’ instead of ‘d’) 

Finding it hard to understand written information

Source: NHS 

Dyslexia is generally defined as a learning difficulty that affects the skills involved in accurate and fluent word reading and spelling, and is thought to affect one in 10 people.

It is associated with difficulties in reading, writing, spelling, and organisation, which affects not only academic success but also self-esteem and social-emotional development.

Famous sufferers include actor Orlando Bloom, businessman Richard Branson, TV presenter Holly Willoughby and screen star Tom Cruise. 

People with dyslexia often have good skills in other areas, such as problem solving and creative thinking. 

Open: The hitmaker recalled how she 'failed at school' as she couldn't keep up with her classmates, and now realises that her brain simply 'works in a different way'

Open: The hitmaker recalled how she ‘failed at school’ as she couldn’t keep up with her classmates, and now realises that her brain simply ‘works in a different way’

Gwen, who is engaged to her The Voice co-star Blake Shelton went onto admit that she now realises her dyslexia had a massive effect on her confidence during the early days of her career when she was part of No Doubt.

She explained: ‘ At that time I had written that whole record not even knowing how to write a song and I had literally laid my entire life out for everyone to hear. 

‘And then I’m still in the band with Tony [Kanal] who I was so dependent on, because of probably my dyslexia.

‘I didn’t know any of this until now, but I think that I didn’t have any confidence in myself, at the time, but when I would write a song or I would get on stage, it just felt so right and the only thing that was going right for me.’

She's not alone: Famous sufferers include actor Orlando Bloom, businessman Richard Branson, TV presenter Holly Willoughby and screen star Tom Cruise (pictured in July 2018)

She’s not alone: Famous sufferers include actor Orlando Bloom, businessman Richard Branson, TV presenter Holly Willoughby and screen star Tom Cruise (pictured in July 2018)

In October Gwen announced her engagement to singer Blake after five years of dating, and the hitmaker has since said they have no plans to tie the knot if her parents can’t be present due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

During an On Air with Ryan Seacrest interview, the host asked her if she preferred a large or small wedding in the ‘post-pandemic world.’  

‘I would say I just want my parents there at this point,’ she said of her father Dennis and mother Patti.

‘My parents wouldn’t come to Thanksgiving because they’re so scared, so really would rather it not be a COVID situation. Like, I would rather not have masks and that kind of thing,’  

‘It’s so funny to even say “engaged.” It feels so weird. People have been saying it for so long, like five years, “Are you getting married? Are you engaged?” And now we actually are and it feels like I’m in a cartoon or something,’ the California native gushed.   

‘We look like a weird cartoon, like fake like meme or something,’ she joked about their relationship before adding, ‘but yet, somehow, we are meant to be.’ 

Lovebirds: In October Gwen announced her engagement to singer Blake after five years of dating, and she has since said they have no plans to tie the knot if her parents can't be present

Lovebirds: In October Gwen announced her engagement to singer Blake after five years of dating, and she has since said they have no plans to tie the knot if her parents can’t be present