Dyslexia is a language-based specific learning difficulty. A learning difficulty is a condition that can make learning in a traditional school setting difficult. Dyslexia causes difficulties in the areas of reading and writing, however, symptoms of dyslexia in one language are not necessarily as severe in another. it is a lifelong condition. The difficulties in dyslexia persist throughout life but appropriate treatments can greatly improve the symptoms and reduce the difficulties associated with it. Many individuals with dyslexia may go on to live very successful academic and professional lives.

About 15-20% of the population has a language-based learning disability, which is about 1 in every 5 people. No official numbers are available for its prevalence in Pakistan.

Dyslexia is caused by a mix of genetic and biological factors. These cause the person with dyslexia to process information from a different part of the brain than most people. This part of the brain processes information in a slower and less efficient way than most people, and so they are slow, struggling readers.

First, you should perform a self-screening test. If the test indicates that your child probably has dyslexia, you can take your results and/or your child’s medical and school records to a physician. They will then refer you to a psychiatrist who specializes in the area of specific learning difficulties and will carry out more tests to confirm a diagnosis. See the section on dyslexia in children for more information.

Learning difficulties are conditions that can make learning in a traditional school setting difficult. Examples of learning difficulties include:

Experts do not think dyslexia levels are on the rise. Dyslexia is simply being diagnosed more accurately and frequently now due to increased awareness.

Yes, as long as they receive the appropriate intervention therapies. Ideally, these therapies are given at a young age, however, even adults with dyslexia can benefit from receiving therapy to improve their symptoms. 

Yes! Dyslexia may occur at any level of intelligence, ranging from below average to above average (gifted). People with dyslexia usually respond instantly to consistent effort and interventions. Their creative thinking may improve their reading difficulties. It is then possible to be an expert in their fields (and indeed, many are!).

All individuals with dyslexia have certain talents that may or may not give them high IQs. Many individuals with dyslexia

Speaking and reading use different parts of the brain. Speech is a natural ability in all humans as a species; it does not need to be specifically learnt in the same way that reading and writing do. Different cultures have different systems of recording written text and learning to process that information is a very specific neurological process that people with dyslexia find difficult.

There is no “cure”; dyslexia is a lifelong condition. However, appropriate therapies can greatly improve symptoms and functioning in life.

You may have dyslexia if you:

This is not true for most cases and presentation of dyslexia is not restricted to this. Many young children who are learning to read and write may accidentally mix up their letters and write them backwards. Many children with dyslexia do not display this symptom.

Dyslexia is indeed more common in boys than girls (the ratio ranges from 2:1 to 3:1). It is majorly because of two reasons. Firstly, they may exhibit slower information processing speed compared to typically developing peers. Secondly, boys with dyslexia are more likely to present with behavioral problems in the classroom, leading to earlier identification and diagnosis.

This is debated amongst the dyslexia community. Although dyslexia is not a vision problem, some people find that changing the font, size, or color of the text helps them read better. Experiment and see what works for you.

Many people who have dyslexia go on to live fulfilling and successful lives after receiving the appropriate treatments and support.

Many people with dyslexia do an excellent job at school. These students are usually very motivated and they work very hard. They usually already know they are with dyslexia and thus find ways to work around their condition and use it to their advantage. They are also not afraid to ask for the appropriate help and accommodations.

The first step should be screening for dyslexia and getting a diagnosis. Once diagnosed, there are many supports you can request to be put in place to help your child at school. These may include extra time on tests or for homework, tutoring, etc. Please see the section on dyslexia in children for more details.

The first step should be screening for dyslexia and getting a diagnosis. Once diagnosed, there are many supports you can request to be put in place to help your child at school. These may include extra time on tests or for homework, taking tests in a separate quiet space, being allowed to use text-to-speech technology, tutoring, etc. Please see the section on dyslexia in adults for more information.

No. Even though getting early intervention therapies is the ideal scenario to help manage the symptoms, many adults may find that they also benefit from getting reading therapy treatments.

No, dyslexia is found across all ages, genders, cultures, and socio-economic classes around the world. However, symptoms of dyslexia may be less severe in certain languages than in others.

All the programs have been developed to help individuals with dyslexia improve their reading and writing skills, however, it is important to consult with your doctor about which program is the most effective for you. The Orton-Gillingham technique focuses on the mechanics of reading: how to deconstruct words, sound them out, and gain reading speed and fluency. Multisensory approaches help to cement learning and understanding by using different sensory techniques. For more information, see our article on Dyslexia Treatment.

There is no straight answer to this as it is subjective to the child’s needs. Talk to their therapist to understand and evaluate your child’s progress and to see what areas may need improvement. Depending on the child’s personal grade level and motivation, you may require more or less therapy. As your child ages, they will slowly learn more and more complex skills, and, depending on how solid their foundational skills are, the need for therapy may change. We recommend having an open discussion with your therapist about this.

Yes, in that case, it is referred to as acquired or traumatic dyslexia. Your brain may have developed normally before this traumatic illness or injury, however, post-trauma there may have been some damage to the parts of the brain that focus on reading processing skills, causing acquired dyslexia.

No, dyslexia cannot be “cured” by taking medication or drugs. The only way to improve symptoms is to undergo specialized reading therapy. Dyslexia is a lifelong condition but it can be brought under control with the correct support.

Yes, ADHD and dyslexia are two separate conditions, but they may co-exist. It is not however necessary that if ADHD exists so does dyslexia, and vice versa.