Dyslexia is a common but varying specific learning difficulty that mainly affects reading and writing skills.
It can cause difficulties in everyday life for those who have it – including challenges at school or work with tasks requiring certain abilities that may not be experienced by other people without this condition.
Those who have dyslexia often have a hard time relating sounds and letters together. Intelligence has nothing to do with being dyslexic.
Just because someone is intelligent doesn’t mean they won’t be affected by this learning condition, which affects the brains of children and adults alike!
Dyslexia has been studied extensively, and some studies have shown it to be related to family members, but the exact cause remains unknown.
It’s thought that certain genes you inherit from your parents can affect the way some parts of your brain develop during early life.
Signs of dyslexia usually become apparent when a child starts school and begins to focus more on learning how to read and write.
The Main Types Of Dyslexia
There are four main types of dyslexia that people can experience:
- Phonological Dyslexia: This affects the ability to sound out words. People with phonological dyslexia struggle to break words into syllables or manipulate sounds within words. For example, they may have trouble rhyming words or recognizing that “cat” and “bat” only differ by one sound.
- Surface Dyslexia: This relates to trouble recognizing words as complete units or “wholes.” People with surface dyslexia can sound out words but struggle to instantly recognize common words. For example, they may slowly sound out “the” instead of instantly recognizing it by sight.
- Visual Dyslexia: This causes challenges in processing letters and words visually. People with visual dyslexia may struggle to remember the letters in sequence, reverse letters, or confuse similarly shaped letters. For example, confusing “b” and “d.”
- Rapid Naming Deficit: This involves difficulty quickly naming objects, colors, letters, or numbers. People with rapid naming deficits may hesitate or pause when trying to name things they see. This can slow down reading speed.
Most people with dyslexia have issues with phonological processing but can experience symptoms of all four types.
Identifying the specific reading challenges a person faces allows for better-targeted educational interventions and support.
With the proper support, people with all types of dyslexia can learn to read and write successfully.
Dyslexia In Adults
Dyslexia is a lifelong condition. The reading and spelling difficulties experienced in childhood continue into adulthood.
Adults with dyslexia may hide reading problems out of embarrassment. They may avoid reading aloud or take longer to complete tasks.
Dyslexia can make it difficult for adults to organize thoughts while writing, and, as such, they may express their ideas better verbally.
Adults with dyslexia may rely on technology tools like text-to-speech, spellcheck, and grammar assistance.
Dyslexia In Children
Symptoms of dyslexia usually become apparent when a child starts learning to read. They may have trouble recognizing letters, rhyming words, or counting syllables.
Children with dyslexia often struggle with reading comprehension and learning new words. They may be slow readers and spell poorly.
Dyslexia can make it difficult for children to express themselves through writing as they may have trouble organizing thoughts on paper.
Children with dyslexia often have excellent imaginations and thrive in more visual, hands-on learning environments.
Many successful entrepreneurs, artists, and innovators have dyslexia. The skills needed to manage dyslexia can help fuel creative success.
Early diagnosis and intervention are important for individuals with dyslexia. With proper support in place, individuals with dyslexia can thrive academically and professionally.
If you’d like to book an assessment for you or your child, you can do so online or by reaching out to us.