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Dyslexia is a common, lifelong, neurological condition that affects a person's ability to read and spell. Dyslexia is treatable with specialized educational interventions and accommodations. Early intervention has the most benefit.
Myth: Dyslexia is rare
Fact: Dyslexia is the #1 reading disability.
Fact: Research shows that dyslexia affects 5-10% of the population, with other estimates as high as 17-20%.
Myth: Smart people can't have dyslexia
Fact: Dyslexia and intelligence are NOT connected. Many dyslexics have very high IQs and have gone on to accomplish outstanding things in their lives. Examples include: Albert Einstein, Whoopi Goldberg, Robin Williams, Jennifer Aniston, Steven Spielberg, and Agatha Christie and many more.
Indicators of Dyslexia
Dyslexia varies among individuals from mild to profound. Indicators change with age. Dyslexia often runs in families. If a teen or adult family member has had a lifelong struggle with reading, that may provide an important clue that early intervention could help a young child.
In Children
Delayed speech
Difficulty sounding out new words
Problems identifying or producing rhyming words
Spelling errors, mixing up letter pairs like b-d, b-p, p-q, or g-j
Slow, inaccurate, or labored reading
Replacing words, reading ‘house’ when text says ‘home’
Avoids reading, especially aloud
In Teens and Adults
Reads slowly and rarely for pleasure
May have to read a page 2 or 3 times to understand it
Difficulty with spelling and reading aloud
Struggles to learn a foreign language
Large discrepancy between verbal skills and written compositions
Poor memory for names, facts, and sequences
Avoiding activities that require extensive reading or writing
Early Intervention is Key
To be successful readers, young children with dyslexia need a systematic program of early instruction designed to help them make the associations between letters and the sounds they make.
Reading disorders cannot be “cured.” But with proper instruction, people with these disorders can overcome specific problems, learn to read, and improve fluency and comprehension
The earlier children receive help, the better the results. The longer help is delayed, the harder it is for the child to catch up.
Source: National Institure of Child Health and Human DevelopmentPage updated
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