What Is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a learning disability in which people have trouble with specific language skills, particularly reading. Someone with this disability usually experiences difficulties with other language skills such as spelling, writing, and pronouncing words.

Characteristics

Dyslexia is a language processing disorder, so it can affect all forms of language, including spoken and written. Here are just some of the characteristics associated with the condition.

Oral Language

• Difficulty acquiring vocabulary or using age-appropriate grammar
• Difficulty learning the alphabet and rhyming
• Difficulty pronouncing words
• Late learning to talk
• Trouble following directions

Reading

• Difficulty remembering names and shapes of letters, or naming letters rapidly
• Difficulty with oral or silent reading
• Omits or misreads little words
• Persistent confusion with b, d, p, q (beyond first grade)
• Slow reading rate
• “Stumbles” through longer words
• Trouble with reversals and order of letters

Written Language

• Difficulty proofreading
• Difficulty with organizing written language into sentences and paragraphs
• Handwriting struggles
• Spelling errors
• Trouble learning to spell (people may do well on weekly spelling tests, but have many mistakes in daily work) 
• Trouble copying
• Trouble putting ideas on paper
• Uncertainty with concepts of right or left

People can show symptoms of this condition at any age, but they tend to appear during childhood.

Causes

Researchers don't know exactly what causes the disorder, but they think a problem during development that affects the way the brain processes information may be to blame.

There is also some evidence to suggest that the disorder is hereditary. According to the International Dyslexia Association, 30% to 60% of children born to parents who have dyslexia will also develop the disorder.

The severity of dyslexia may be influenced by environmental factors as well.

Diagnosis

There is no single test that can diagnose dyslexia. Instead, clinicians use a variety of tests and observational measures depending on the person's age. This means that the assessment a kindergartner receives may differ from that a high schooler receives.

A physical exam will be done to examine your child for possible physical causes that could make reading difficult, such as hearing and vision impairments. If no physical cause is found, your doctor may refer your child to a psychologist for evaluation.

Evaluation

During the initial evaluation, the psychologist will review your child's background and family history information. This includes intake forms, school records, IEP records, and previous evaluation reports.

They will then administer standardized tests to measure some of the following areas:

• Comprehension
• Decoding skills
• Fluency and accuracy
• Letter knowledge
• Listening comprehension
• Phonemic awareness
• Phonological awareness
• Reading rate
• Sentence writing
• Word recognition

After the test, you'll receive a written report from the psychologist. This report is typically 8–10 pages and includes diagnosis, recommendations for therapy, activities for home practice, and school supports and accommodations.

Causes

Researchers don't know exactly what causes the disorder, but they think a problem during development that affects the way the brain processes information may be to blame. The severity of dyslexia may be influenced by environmental factors as well.

There is also some evidence to suggest that the disorder is hereditary. According to one review, 44% of children born to parents who have dyslexia will also develop the disorder.

Treatment

With proper help, many people with dyslexia can learn to read and write well, but early identification and treatment are key. Students with dyslexia often require intensive language, reading, and multisensory instruction to improve.

Schools can also implement accommodations and modifications to help a student succeed. For example, a student with dyslexia can be given extra time to complete a task and permission to tape lectures rather than write notes.

At home, they can use flashcards to develop sight word recognition and listen to books (rather than read them). They can also use computer software to check spelling and speech-to-text software to help with writing.

Speech and language therapy can address articulation, phonemic awareness, receptive language, expressive language, and other speech and language disorder symptoms.

What to Do If You Suspect Your Child Has Dyslexia

If you believe you or your child has dyslexia, contact your school principal or counselor for information on how to make a referral for assessment. An IEP team meeting will be held to discuss your request. Before you attend, learn about your rights as a parent of a child with a potential disability.

Students in college and vocational programs can contact their school's advising office for information on policies, programs, and strategies to help achieve success.