Dyslexia is a specific learning disorder (a condition that makes it difficult to gain knowledge and skills related to reading, at the same rate as their age group). It involves challenges with any language. This means that people with dyslexia may struggle with:

  • Reading
  • Spelling
  • Writing
  • Speaking

People with dyslexia might also have difficulty with:

  • Coordination
  • Organization
  • Memory

Types of Dyslexia

Although there are no officially categorized types of dyslexia, there are 5 main agreed-upon types:

1. Phonological Dyslexia: Difficulty in breaking sounds down into their syllables (i.e. phonemic awareness) and matching sounds to letters.

2. Surface/Visual Dyslexia: Difficulty in recognizing words by sight, which comes with practice as we become more fluent readers.

3. Rapid Naming Deficit Dyslexia: These children can name letters and numbers but struggle with doing this quickly, as their minds do not process the information quickly enough.

4. Double Deficit Dyslexia: This refers to dyslexia in which both phonological and rapid naming deficit dyslexia are present.

5. Acquired/Traumatic Dyslexia: This is dyslexia that has been acquired through a brain injury or trauma.   


Does Language Affect Dyslexia?

A person with dyslexia has specific brain differences that make certain tasks (decoding phonics, etc.) difficult. These differences are always present but may show up more or less depending on the language that is being spoken or read, thus making some languages easier for individuals with dyslexia than others.

Since every language has its own system of speaking and writing, different languages use different parts of the brain to process information. It has been noted that dyslexia diagnoses are much lower in countries whose languages are more structured and are spelled like they are spoken, e.g. Finnish and Italian. Thus, it is not that dyslexia is language-specific, but rather that it is mild enough to be ignored (or hardly noticeable) in a more structured language than in one that is very irregular. Research is still being conducted on how dyslexia affects the Urdu language.

Strengths

Though it presents many challenges, dyslexia is also a source of many strengths. Many people with dyslexia are excellent problem solvers and are highly creative. They are very observant and easily draw connections between concepts and ideas. Since they connect ideas so well, they are excellent at seeing the big picture when others might not.

Key Takeaways

  • Dyslexia is a relatively common specific learning disability that affects the ability to read, write, and spell.
  • Dyslexia is not a vision-related problem or a sign of low intelligence. It cannot be treated with medication or diet regimes.
  • Dyslexia is more specifically categorized into 5 main types: phonological, surface/visual, rapid naming deficit, double deficit, and acquired/traumatic dyslexia.
  • Though it causes many difficulties, dyslexia also gives you many strengths.
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