The Truth About Dyslexia

What are the signs of dyslexia?
The problems displayed by individuals with dyslexia involve difficulties in acquiring and using language — reading and writing letters in the wrong order or position is just one manifestation of dyslexia and does not occur in all cases.

Other problems experienced by dyslexics include:

• delayed speech
• organizing written and spoken language
• learning letters and their sounds
• memorizing number facts
• spelling
• reading
• learning a foreign language
• performing math operations

In general, individuals with dyslexia:

• appear bright, intelligent, and articulate but are unable to read, write, or spell at an age-appropriate level
• have average to above average intelligence yet may have poor academic achievement
• may have good oral language abilities but will perform poorly on similar written-language exams
• may be labeled as lazy, unintelligent, careless, immature, lacking effort or as having a behavioral problem
• are effected primarily in reading while other intellectual abilities are spared, therefore individuals may not reach the necessary threshold for receiving assistance in the school setting
• may feel subpar and have poor self-esteem resulting in frustration and increased anxiety related to school reading or testing
• may try to mask their reading weakness with compensatory strategies
• may learn best through hands on experience, demonstrations, experimentation, observation, and visual aids
• often exhibit increased ability in other areas such as art, drama, music, sports, mechanics, story-telling, sales, business, designing, or building

How many are effected?
Current studies suggest that 15-20% of the population have a reading disability, of those 85% have dyslexia. Dyslexia occurs in people of all backgrounds and intellectual levels. In addition, dyslexia runs in families; dyslexic parents are very likely to have children who are dyslexic. Many labeled with dyslexia are very intelligent and in fact, they are often gifted in areas that do not require strong language skills.

What are the effects of dyslexia?
The impact of dyslexia is often different for each person depending upon the severity of the condition. The most common effects are problems with reading, spelling, and writing. People with dyslexia can also have difficulty with spoken language. They may find it difficult to express themselves clearly and/or to fully comprehend what others mean when spoken to. Such language problems are often difficult to recognize, but they can lead to major difficulties in school, the workplace, and in relating to other people. Therefore the effects of dyslexia reach well beyond the classroom.

Dyslexia also affects a person’s self-image. Students with dyslexia often end up suffering from poor self-esteem and confidence which makes them feel less intelligent than their actual capability.

More info
Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability. Dyslexia refers to a cluster of symptoms which result in people having difficulties with specific language skills, particularly reading. Students with dyslexia may experience difficulties in other language skills such as spelling, writing, and speaking. Dyslexia is traditionally considered to be a life-long condition however, its impact can change at different stages in a person’s life. It is referred to as a learning disability because dyslexia can make it very difficult for a student to succeed academically in the typical instructional environment.

How is Dyslexia diagnosed?
A formal evaluation is needed to discover if a person is dyslexic. The evaluation assesses intellectual ability, information processing, psycho-linguistic processing, and academic skills. It is used to determine whether or not a student is reading at the expected level, and takes into account the individual’s family background and overall school performance. The testing can be administered by the individual’s school district or an outside agency.

Definition Adopted by the International Dyslexia Association, Nov. 12, 2002, and also used by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and / or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.

Dyslexia or Reading Disorder as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR)

The DSM-IV-TR explains a reading disorder as a reading achievement that falls substantially below expected levels given an individual’s age and education. The reading deficit should be sufficiently severe as to interfere with everyday activities requiring reading (e.g., schoolwork or employment). Finally, the reading deficit cannot be strictly due to a sensory disorder; for instance, it cannot be strictly due to vision problems that prevent an individual from seeing words on a page (American Psychiatric Association, 2000).