WHAT IS DYSLEXIA?
Robert D. Smith, PhD
Robert D. Smith, PhD
Developmental Dyslexia is a neurologically based learning disorder that primarily involves difficulty reading and often accompanied by difficulty writing and spelling.
The neurological basis of dyslexia simply means that certain circuits in the brain do not operate in the usual way, and cause learning difficulties - to a greater or lesser degree - particularly with reading and spelling.
Developmental dyslexia is characterized by unexpected difficulty with reading in children and adults who otherwise possess the intelligence and motivation considered necessary for accurate and fluent reading. Dyslexia is one of the most common problems affecting children and adults; in the United States, the prevalence of dyslexia is estimated to range from 5 to 17% of school-age children, with as many as 40% reading below grade level. It is the most common form of learning disability. Over 40 million Americans suffer from dyslexia, making it an extraordinarily widespread disorder.
It can affect both boys and girls, and is more common in children whose parents also had difficulty with reading and writing. It is one of the most common learning disabilities among people and can disrupt both education and social development if left untreated. Dyslexia is a problem that many people face and usually causes great difficulty coping with the school or working environment.
There is no known cause for dyslexia. Dyslexia is not caused by vision impairment, hearing impairment or inadequate reading instruction, though these factors may contribute to the difficulty. It is comparable to color blindness, and is not related to intelligence and in fact several famous scholars were thought to be dyslexic (for example Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison).
The core weakness underlying Dyslexia is a unique neurological based deficit in processing phonetic information. It results in difficulty decoding words and/or slow reading speed and/or poor reading comprehension. Dyslexia is diagnosed following psychological and educational tests that determine intelligence, problem-solving skills, language and academic abilities.
Although dyslexia is life-long, individuals with dyslexia frequently respond successfully to timely and appropriate intervention.
The neurological basis of dyslexia simply means that certain circuits in the brain do not operate in the usual way, and cause learning difficulties - to a greater or lesser degree - particularly with reading and spelling.
Developmental dyslexia is characterized by unexpected difficulty with reading in children and adults who otherwise possess the intelligence and motivation considered necessary for accurate and fluent reading. Dyslexia is one of the most common problems affecting children and adults; in the United States, the prevalence of dyslexia is estimated to range from 5 to 17% of school-age children, with as many as 40% reading below grade level. It is the most common form of learning disability. Over 40 million Americans suffer from dyslexia, making it an extraordinarily widespread disorder.
It can affect both boys and girls, and is more common in children whose parents also had difficulty with reading and writing. It is one of the most common learning disabilities among people and can disrupt both education and social development if left untreated. Dyslexia is a problem that many people face and usually causes great difficulty coping with the school or working environment.
There is no known cause for dyslexia. Dyslexia is not caused by vision impairment, hearing impairment or inadequate reading instruction, though these factors may contribute to the difficulty. It is comparable to color blindness, and is not related to intelligence and in fact several famous scholars were thought to be dyslexic (for example Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison).
The core weakness underlying Dyslexia is a unique neurological based deficit in processing phonetic information. It results in difficulty decoding words and/or slow reading speed and/or poor reading comprehension. Dyslexia is diagnosed following psychological and educational tests that determine intelligence, problem-solving skills, language and academic abilities.
Although dyslexia is life-long, individuals with dyslexia frequently respond successfully to timely and appropriate intervention.