Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDefinitionSignsDiagnosisCausesTreatmentCoping

Table of ContentsView All

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Table of Contents

Definition

Signs

Diagnosis

Causes

Treatment

Coping

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However, reading difficulty isn’t the only feature of this learning disability. Difficulty speaking about the same topic for a sustained period of time, understanding and following directions, and repeating words in the proper order are also common struggles. It can also make it challenging to express your ideas in an organized way.

At a GlanceDyslexia makes it hard for your brain to process written language. It’s a learning disability might cause you to mix up letters and struggle to read fluently, but it doesn’t have anything to do with intelligence. Rather, it’s linked to how your brain handles reading and writing. While it can feel really frustrating, there are ways to handle it and making reading and writing easier to manage. Finding the strategies that work for you, such as speech-to-text apps and personalized learning interventions, can help kids and adults with dyslexia manage their challenges.

At a Glance

Dyslexia makes it hard for your brain to process written language. It’s a learning disability might cause you to mix up letters and struggle to read fluently, but it doesn’t have anything to do with intelligence. Rather, it’s linked to how your brain handles reading and writing. While it can feel really frustrating, there are ways to handle it and making reading and writing easier to manage. Finding the strategies that work for you, such as speech-to-text apps and personalized learning interventions, can help kids and adults with dyslexia manage their challenges.

What Is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is categorized as a learning disability in the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” (DSM-5-TR), the tool that doctors and mental health professionals use to diagnose mental health conditions.

People with dyslexia may struggle to understand, learn, and use new words. Dyslexia can also lead to trouble buildingself-esteemand difficulty reading or speaking with confidence.

Remember—and this is really important—people with dyslexia DO NOT have below-average intelligence—they just have trouble with reading.Dyslexia is the most common learning disability, affecting an estimated 10% of the population.

Most people are diagnosed with dyslexia as children; with early detection and proper support, most treatment can be effective. Still, dyslexia is a lifelong learning disability that requires management and support.

What Are Learning Disabilities?

Signs of Dyslexia

Everybody experiences dyslexia a little differently, but the main signs of dyslexia have to do with difficulty processing letters and their sounds, sounding out words on the page, and reading with ease and fluidity. People with dyslexia may also have trouble with writing and speaking, or any kind of language processing.

Preschool

Kindergarten and First Grade

Second Grade Through High School

Adults

Understanding ADHD and Dyslexia

How Is Dyslexia Diagnosed?

You can get diagnosed and treated for dyslexia at any time in life. However, the earlier you are diagnosed, the easier it may be to treat. Typically, children who arestruggling with readingin elementary school are evaluated for dyslexia. Often, their parents or teachers notice symptoms that may indicate dyslexia.

Examples of tests used to diagnose dyslexia include:

Definition of Dyslexia in Psychology

What Causes Dyslexia?

Researchers aren’t sure what causes dyslexia.But many people who have it also have family members with it, and experts believe certain genes may be involved in its development.Studies have found that people with dyslexia havebrain differencesthat may affect their ability to process letters, words, and language.

How Neuroplasticity Works

Treatment for Dyslexia

Children who attend school will likely need an IEP (individualized educational plan) to ensure they receive the proper services. Parents often have to work alongside school officials and staff to implement this plan.

Section 504 Accommodations for Students With ADHD

Coping With Dyslexia

Noticing that your child is struggling with reading can come as an emotional gut punch, and you might feel stressed about your child’s future if you find out that they have dyslexia.

ReminderIt’s important to keep in mind that having dyslexia doesn’t mean that your child lacks intelligence; it’s simply that their brain processes letters and decodes words with more difficulty than others.

Reminder

It’s important to keep in mind that having dyslexia doesn’t mean that your child lacks intelligence; it’s simply that their brain processes letters and decodes words with more difficulty than others.

Getting your child a diagnosis is an important first step: it means that they will now begin to get the help they need so reading is less of a struggle.

Supporting your child emotionally is just as important as getting them the services they need to manage theirdisability. Many children with dyslexia struggle withself-esteemissues. They may compare themselves to other children and find it frustrating and humiliating that they can’t keep up with their peers.

If you are just learning that you have dyslexia as an adult, you may feel many emotions at first, includingguiltorshame. But the truth is that you have likely struggled all your life with reading and may have thought you were simply not motivated enough to do better.

Takeaways

Dyslexia can create frustration and affect confidence, but it’s important to remember that it doesn’t need to hold you back. With the right support and accommodations, you can find ways of managing your learning disability effectively.

If you have further questions or concerns about dyslexia, or need extra support, please contact your healthcare provider, a learning specialist, or an educational psychologist who specializes in learning disabilities.

I Became Dyslexic in My 30s—Here’s How I Deal

14 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Dyslexia.The Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity.Signs of dyslexia.Sunil AB, Banerjee A, Divya M, Rathod HK, Patel J, Gupta M.Dyslexia: An invisible disability or different ability.Ind Psychiatry J. 2023;32(Suppl 1):S72-S75. doi:10.4103/ipj.ipj_196_23Snowling MJ, Hulme C, Nation K.Defining and understanding dyslexia: past, present and future.Oxf Rev Educ. 2020;46(4):501-513. doi:10.1080/03054985.2020.1765756Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity.Signs of dyslexia.Miciak J, Fletcher JM.The critical role of instructional response for identifying dyslexia and other learning disabilities.J Learn Disabil. 2020;53(5):343-353. doi:10.1177/0022219420906801International Dyslexia Association.Dyslexia assessment: What is it and how can it help?International Dyslexia Association.Testing and evaluation.International Dyslexia Association.Frequently asked questions.Neef NE, Müller B, Liebig J, et al.Dyslexia risk gene relates to representation of sound in the auditory brainstem.Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. 2017;24:63-71. doi:10.1016/j.dcn.2017.01.008Skeide MA, Kraft I, Müller B, et al.NRSN1 associated grey matter volume of the visual word form area reveals dyslexia before school. Brain. 2016;139(10):2792-2803. doi: 10.1093/brain/aww153University of Michigan.The IEP process: Everything you need to know.Nemours Children’s Health.Understanding dyslexia.Wilmot A, Pizzey H, Leitão S, Hasking P, Boyes M.Growing up with dyslexia: Child and parent perspectives on school struggles, self-esteem, and mental health.Dyslexia. 2023;29(1):40-54. doi:10.1002/dys.1729

14 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Dyslexia.The Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity.Signs of dyslexia.Sunil AB, Banerjee A, Divya M, Rathod HK, Patel J, Gupta M.Dyslexia: An invisible disability or different ability.Ind Psychiatry J. 2023;32(Suppl 1):S72-S75. doi:10.4103/ipj.ipj_196_23Snowling MJ, Hulme C, Nation K.Defining and understanding dyslexia: past, present and future.Oxf Rev Educ. 2020;46(4):501-513. doi:10.1080/03054985.2020.1765756Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity.Signs of dyslexia.Miciak J, Fletcher JM.The critical role of instructional response for identifying dyslexia and other learning disabilities.J Learn Disabil. 2020;53(5):343-353. doi:10.1177/0022219420906801International Dyslexia Association.Dyslexia assessment: What is it and how can it help?International Dyslexia Association.Testing and evaluation.International Dyslexia Association.Frequently asked questions.Neef NE, Müller B, Liebig J, et al.Dyslexia risk gene relates to representation of sound in the auditory brainstem.Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. 2017;24:63-71. doi:10.1016/j.dcn.2017.01.008Skeide MA, Kraft I, Müller B, et al.NRSN1 associated grey matter volume of the visual word form area reveals dyslexia before school. Brain. 2016;139(10):2792-2803. doi: 10.1093/brain/aww153University of Michigan.The IEP process: Everything you need to know.Nemours Children’s Health.Understanding dyslexia.Wilmot A, Pizzey H, Leitão S, Hasking P, Boyes M.Growing up with dyslexia: Child and parent perspectives on school struggles, self-esteem, and mental health.Dyslexia. 2023;29(1):40-54. doi:10.1002/dys.1729

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Dyslexia.The Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity.Signs of dyslexia.Sunil AB, Banerjee A, Divya M, Rathod HK, Patel J, Gupta M.Dyslexia: An invisible disability or different ability.Ind Psychiatry J. 2023;32(Suppl 1):S72-S75. doi:10.4103/ipj.ipj_196_23Snowling MJ, Hulme C, Nation K.Defining and understanding dyslexia: past, present and future.Oxf Rev Educ. 2020;46(4):501-513. doi:10.1080/03054985.2020.1765756Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity.Signs of dyslexia.Miciak J, Fletcher JM.The critical role of instructional response for identifying dyslexia and other learning disabilities.J Learn Disabil. 2020;53(5):343-353. doi:10.1177/0022219420906801International Dyslexia Association.Dyslexia assessment: What is it and how can it help?International Dyslexia Association.Testing and evaluation.International Dyslexia Association.Frequently asked questions.Neef NE, Müller B, Liebig J, et al.Dyslexia risk gene relates to representation of sound in the auditory brainstem.Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. 2017;24:63-71. doi:10.1016/j.dcn.2017.01.008Skeide MA, Kraft I, Müller B, et al.NRSN1 associated grey matter volume of the visual word form area reveals dyslexia before school. Brain. 2016;139(10):2792-2803. doi: 10.1093/brain/aww153University of Michigan.The IEP process: Everything you need to know.Nemours Children’s Health.Understanding dyslexia.Wilmot A, Pizzey H, Leitão S, Hasking P, Boyes M.Growing up with dyslexia: Child and parent perspectives on school struggles, self-esteem, and mental health.Dyslexia. 2023;29(1):40-54. doi:10.1002/dys.1729

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Dyslexia.

The Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity.Signs of dyslexia.

Sunil AB, Banerjee A, Divya M, Rathod HK, Patel J, Gupta M.Dyslexia: An invisible disability or different ability.Ind Psychiatry J. 2023;32(Suppl 1):S72-S75. doi:10.4103/ipj.ipj_196_23

Snowling MJ, Hulme C, Nation K.Defining and understanding dyslexia: past, present and future.Oxf Rev Educ. 2020;46(4):501-513. doi:10.1080/03054985.2020.1765756

Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity.Signs of dyslexia.

Miciak J, Fletcher JM.The critical role of instructional response for identifying dyslexia and other learning disabilities.J Learn Disabil. 2020;53(5):343-353. doi:10.1177/0022219420906801

International Dyslexia Association.Dyslexia assessment: What is it and how can it help?

International Dyslexia Association.Testing and evaluation.

International Dyslexia Association.Frequently asked questions.

Neef NE, Müller B, Liebig J, et al.Dyslexia risk gene relates to representation of sound in the auditory brainstem.Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. 2017;24:63-71. doi:10.1016/j.dcn.2017.01.008

Skeide MA, Kraft I, Müller B, et al.NRSN1 associated grey matter volume of the visual word form area reveals dyslexia before school. Brain. 2016;139(10):2792-2803. doi: 10.1093/brain/aww153

University of Michigan.The IEP process: Everything you need to know.

Nemours Children’s Health.Understanding dyslexia.

Wilmot A, Pizzey H, Leitão S, Hasking P, Boyes M.Growing up with dyslexia: Child and parent perspectives on school struggles, self-esteem, and mental health.Dyslexia. 2023;29(1):40-54. doi:10.1002/dys.1729

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