What is Dyslexia?

What is “dyslexia”? Many people have heard of this term and know that it has something to do with reading and writing. However, not everyone knows the full details of what it is, what causes it and what to do about it.

Here is a short introduction to dyslexia.

This is a disclaimer that this article is for informative purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose or treat any condition. Please reach out to a qualified professional if you think you have dyslexia.

What does “dyslexia” mean?

According to an expert review for the UK government, “dyslexia primarily affects the skills involved in accurate and fluent word reading and spelling.” Essentially, it is a learning disability that makes it very difficult to accurately recognize or spell written words.

The definition then says, “characteristic features of dyslexia are difficulties in phonological awareness, verbal memory and verbal processing speed.” This means that people with dyslexia have noticeable deficits in learning the correct pronunciation of words, remembering words and naming words quickly.

Next, the definition says, “dyslexia occurs across the range of intellectual abilities.” This means that dyslexia can be found in people of all levels of intelligence.

The definition also says, “it is best thought of as a continuum, not a distinct category, and there are no clear cut-off points.” This means that reading ability varies continuously throughout the population, so there is no exact way to define how poor reading ability has to be in order to be classified as “dyslexia”.

What is it like to have dyslexia?

woman in white shirt showing frustration — Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

If you ever tried learning a foreign language, do you remember how hard it was to read and write accurately when you just started learning? For people with dyslexia, reading and writing are always that hard. Dyslexia first becomes obvious in early education when a child struggles to learn basic letters and words. The child often falls behind dramatically and requires educational interventions.

Later in life, dyslexia can be a significant burden on a working adult. Even with educational interventions, reading can be slow and effortful. Common tasks like reading an ATM, writing a job application or filling out a tax form can be extremely demanding.

But besides reading and spelling ability, there is also a huge impact on self-esteem. Children with dyslexia struggle when they can’t do something that is basic to everyone else. This often leads to intense anxiety, frustration and embarrassment. These emotional issues can be misunderstood as behavioral issues to those who aren’t aware of dyslexia.

What causes dyslexia?

Studies suggest that dyslexia is about seventy percent genetic and thirty percent environmental in origin.

The genetic component of dyslexia affects the development of the brain in early childhood. Children with dyslexia often have general language difficulties that are noticeable when they first start to speak. These toddlers often have problems with correct pronunciation, learning new words or remembering words. Researchers have found that by looking at the spoken language abilities of three year olds, they could predict which children will be diagnosed with dyslexia later in life. The prevailing theory is that dyslexic brains have trouble remembering the correct speech sounds for new words, which also affects reading and writing. However, there are exceptions to this theory, and research is ongoing.

The environmental component of dyslexia is all about exposure to reading in early childhood. Kindergarteners who read storybooks together with their parents have better language abilities by the time they start school. If parents don’t have time to spend with their children, don’t find reading enjoyable, don’t have books in the house, have a low education, are economically deprived or refuse to use the language used by the school system, this early reading is less likely to happen, and the risk of dyslexia can increase.

Dyslexia often runs in families. Parents with dyslexia are very likely to have children with dyslexia. This is partly because the parents pass on the genes that cause dyslexia and partly because the parents don’t read to their children in early childhood if they find it too difficult themselves.

What can we do about dyslexia?

The first step of treating dyslexia is knowing about it. For the dyslexic child, it is vitally important that their educational system, school, teachers and parents are aware of dyslexia.

The next step is identifying dyslexic children. In the UK, Year 1 teachers use a simple screening tool to check if any students are failing to pick up basic phonics skills. For example, a child might be shown a pair of simple printed words and asked if they rhyme:

“BOAT” and “COAT”

“WARM” and “HARM”

If the child answers these questions incorrectly, takes too long, or doesn’t understand what a “rhyme” is, the child might be referred to a specialist who can diagnose the child more thoroughly.

The next step is teaching the dyslexic child how to read and write using alternative methods that are specially adapted for dyslexia. A common method is the classic “Orton–Gillingham–Stillman approach” which engages multiple senses to help the child remember letters, including visuals, sounds and movements. Other, newer methods use structured lessons that focus on short passages of reading and sounding out letters.

It is also important to keep in mind what doesn’t work for dyslexia. There are many methods on the market that are not scientifically proven. Some of these unproven treatments focus on training a child’s working memory, hearing ability or motor skills, but these have no effect on reading and writing accuracy. Other treatments focus on adding or removing something from the child’s diet, but these also are not backed up by evidence.

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