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Dyslexia
What is Dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that affects reading and related language-based processing. Children with dyslexia may have trouble reading what's on the page or screen in front of them. How much each person is affected may differ, but dyslexia may cause issues with interpretation and understanding while reading, spelling, writing and even solving mathematical problems.
Dyslexia is a lifelong condition. Persons with dyslexia, often called 'Dyslexics', make up the largest group of people with a Specific Learning Disability. It's estimated that 1 in 10 persons in the United States are dyslexic.
What causes it?
It's important to understand that although the causes of dyslexia are still not fully understood, the origins have been linked to genetics. As many as 49 percent of parents of children who deal with dyslexia also go through it themselves. About 40 percent of siblings will also struggle with reading, and researchers have begun to identify genes which they have associated with dyslexia.
What is it not?
Dyslexia is not an issue with someone's eyesight or their hearing. Neither is it a temporary condition which a child will grow out of.
Dyslexia is also not a sign of mental retardation, brain damage or a sign of an innate lack of intelligence. There is also no one size fits all way for dyslexics to be treated since there are varying levels of dyslexia a person may struggle with.
Most importantly, dyslexia is not an excuse used by persons who are lazy or 'dumb'. It is a proven neurological disorder caused by a difference in the way the brain develops.
Signs & Symptoms
Common indicators of dyslexia include.
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Trouble recognizing words that rhyme.
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Struggles finding the beginning sounds of a word.
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Struggles learning new words
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Issues recognizing common sight words.
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Quickly forgets how to spell many of the words they learned.
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Makes many spelling errors.
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Often tripped up by word problems in mathematics and science.
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Skips over small words when reading aloud.
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Prefers multiple choice questions.
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Not an avid reader, prefers visual content to stimulate their mind.
Dyslexia and other specific learning disabilities have primary symptoms which are directly related to the ailment itself. However, they all share the silent, secondary effect of causing persons to sometimes feel ashamed because of their difference.
At Spark Learning, we want to help reduce the stigma against persons with SpLDs. That's why we created the dyslexia Experience. This allows persons who do not have learning disabilities to experience for one day what it's like to learn with one.
If you or someone you know are experiencing these issues, take our online preliminary diagnosis, or schedule an appointment.
Famous Dyslexics
Many famous and successful people have had to deal with dyslexia. Click those that you recognize!
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