| Dyslexia What is Dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a brain-based type of learning disability that specifically impairs a person’s ability to read. These individuals typically read at levels significantly lower than expected despite having normal intelligence. Although the disorder varies from person to person, common characteristics among people with dyslexia are difficulty with phonological processing (the manipulation of sounds) and/or rapid visual-verbal responding. Is there any treatment?
The main focus of treatment should be on the specific learning problems of affected individuals. The usual course is to modify teaching methods and the educational environment to meet the specific needs of the individual with dyslexia. What is the prognosis?
For those with dyslexia, the prognosis is mixed. The disability affects such a wide range of people, producing different symptoms and varying degrees of severity, that predictions are hard to make. The prognosis is generally good, however, for individuals whose dyslexia is identified early, who have supportive family and friends and a strong self-image, and who are involved in a proper remediation program. What research is being done?
The NINDS and other institutes of the National Institutes of Health, including the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Institute of Mental Health, conduct research on dyslexia. Current research avenues focus on developing techniques to diagnose and treat dyslexia and other learning disabilities, increasing the understanding of the biological basis of learning disabilities, and exploring the relationship between neurophysiological processes and cognitive functions with regard to reading ability. Common Signs of Dyslexia: Pre-School Children The difficulties noted below are often associated with dyslexia if they are unexpected for the individual's age, educational level, or cognitive abilities. A qualified diagnostician can test a person to determine if he or she is truly dyslexic. - May talk later than most children.
- May have difficulty pronouncing words, i.e., "busgetti" for "spaghetti", "mawn lower" for "lawn mower".
- May be slow to add new vocabulary words.
- May be unable to recall the right word.
- May have difficulty with rhyming.
- May have trouble learning the alphabet, numbers, days of the week, colors, shapes, how to spell and write his or her name.
- May be unable to follow multi-step directions or routines.
- Fine motor skills may develop more slowly than in other children.
- May have difficulty telling and/or retelling a story in the correct sequence.
- Often has difficulty separating sounds in words and blending sounds to make words.
Common Signs of Dyslexia: 5th - 8th Grade Student The characteristics noted below are often associated with dyslexia if they are unexpected for the individual's age, educational level, or cognitive abilities. A qualified diagnostician can test a person to determine if he or she is truly dyslexic. -
- Is usually reading below grade level.
- May reverse letter sequences - "soiled" for "solid," "left" for "felt."
- May be slow to discern and to learn prefixes, suffixes, root words, and other reading and spelling strategies.
- May have difficulty spelling; spells same word differently on the same page.
- May avoid reading aloud.
- May have trouble with word problems in math.
- May write with difficulty with illegible handwriting; pencil grip is awkward, fist-like or tight.
- May avoid writing.
- May have difficulty with written composition.
- May have slow or poor recall of facts.
- May have difficulty with comprehension.
- May have trouble with non-literal language (idioms, jokes, proverbs, slang).
- May have difficulty with planning, organizing and managing time, materials and tasks
Common Signs of Dyslexia: High School and College Students The difficulties noted below are often associated with dyslexia if they are unexpected for the individual's age, educational level, or cognitive abilities. A qualified diagnostician can test a person to determine if he or she is truly dyslexic. - May read very slowly with many inaccuracies.
- Continues to spell incorrectly, frequently spells the same word differently in a single piece of writing.
- May avoid reading and writing tasks.
- May have trouble summarizing and outlining.
- May have trouble answering open-ended questions on tests.
- May have difficulty learning a foreign language.
- May have poor memory skills.
- May work slowly.
- May pay too little attention to details or focus too much on them.
- May misread information.
- May have an inadequate vocabulary.
- May have an inadequate store of knowledge from previous reading.
- May have difficulty with planning, organizing and managing time, materials and tasks
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