What is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia Pros likes to define Dyslexia as "A learning difference that is often identified by an unexpected difficulty with processing written and spoken language." 

 

Dyslexia is NOT rare. It affects 10% to 20% of our population, which is up to 1 in 5 people.

 

Many organizations and people have their own definitions of Dyslexia. Here are a few of those:

 

The Mayo Clinic says, "Dyslexia is a learning disorder characterized by difficulty reading. Also called specific reading disability, Dyslexia is a common learning disability in children. Dyslexia occurs in children with normal vision and intelligence. Sometimes, Dyslexia goes undiagnosed for years and isn't recognized until adulthood.There's no cure for Dyslexia. It's a lifelong condition caused by inherited traits that affect how your brain works. However, most children with Dyslexia can succeed in school with tutoring or a specialized education program. Emotional support also plays an important role."

 

The National Institute of Health states, “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), spelling, and/or rapid visual-verbal responding... Dyslexia can be inherited in some families, and recent studies have identified a number of genes that may predispose an individual to develop Dyslexia. “

 

The International Dyslexia Association states, "Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability. Dyslexia refers to a cluster of symptoms, which result in people having difficulties with specific language skills, particularly reading. Students with Dyslexia usually experience difficulties with other language skills such as spelling, writing, and pronouncing words.

 

Ben Foss, dyslexic and author of The Dyslexia Empowerment Plan, has his own defintion: “Dyslexia is a genetic, brain-based characteristic that results in difficulty connecting the sounds of spoken language to written words. It can result in errors in reading or spelling as well as a number of areas not considered major life activities, such as determining right and left. Individuals who are dyslexic can be highly independent and intelligent. Dyslexia is also characterized by a set of strengths that typically come with this profile in one of more of the following areas: verbal, social, narrative, spatial, kinesthetic, visual mathematical, or musical skills. Overall, it is characterized by an increased ability to perceive broad patterns and a reduced ability to perceive fine detail in systems.”