Understanding Dyslexia

The IDA states that it is  a specific learning disability characterized by difficulties in word reading and/or spelling that involve accuracy, speed, or both, and vary depending on the language and writing system. These challenges occur along a continuum of severity and persist even with effective instruction. Dyslexia has complex genetic, neurobiological, and environmental causes that interact throughout development. While phonological and morphological processing difficulties are common, early oral language weaknesses often foreshadow later literacy struggles. Secondary effects may include problems with reading comprehension, writing, and academic achievement, as well as impacts on well-being and employment. 

International Dyslexia Association, 2025

Individuals with dyslexia have difficulty with reading, writing, spelling, and/or math, even though they have the ability and have had opportunities to learn. Individuals with dyslexia can learn, but they often need specialized instruction to overcome the problem. Often, these individuals, who have talented, productive minds, are said to have a language-learning difference.  Most of us have one or two of these characteristics. That does not mean that everyone has dyslexia. A person with dyslexia usually has several of these characteristics that persist and interfere with functioning over time.

• Difficulty learning to read
• Difficulty identifying or generating rhyming words, or counting syllables in words (phonological awareness)
• Difficulty with hearing and manipulating sounds in words  (phonemic awareness)
• Difficulty distinguishing different sounds in words  (phonological processing)
• Difficulty in learning the sounds of letters (phonics)
• Difficulty remembering names and shapes of letters
• Transposing the order of letters and/or numbers
• Misreading or omitting common short words
• “Stumbles” through longer words
• Poor reading comprehension during oral or silent  reading, often because words are not accurately read

• Late learning to talk
• Difficulty pronouncing words
• Difficulty acquiring vocabulary and grammar
• Difficulty following directions
• Confusion with before/after, right/left, today/tomorrow
• Difficulty learning the alphabet, nursery rhymes, or songs
• Difficulty with word retrieval or naming problems

• Difficulty putting ideas on paper
• Many spelling mistakes 
• Unsure of handedness
• Poor or slow handwriting
• Messy and unorganized papers
• Difficulty copying or proofreading
• Poor fine motor skills
• May do well on weekly spelling tests, but may have many errors in daily work
• Difficulty proofreading

Relatives may have similar problems. Teacher says, “If only she would try harder." Child may have difficulty naming colors, objects, and letters rapidly, in a  sequence. Others in family have weak memory for lists, directions, or facts.  Some may need to see or hear concepts many times to learn them. Often, dyslexia is accompanied by ADHD.

• Difficulty counting accurately
• Difficulty memorizing and retrieving math facts
• Difficulty copying math problems and organizing writing
• Many calculation errors
• Difficulty retaining math vocabulary and concepts
  

This can be referred to as dyscalculia.

Dyslexia and ADHD can occur together or separately.  Often, one can mask the other.  ADHD can be primarily inattentive, primarily hyperactive, or a combined type. This neurological difference is caused by a chemical imbalance in the processing centers of the brain. Symptoms include: 

• Inattention, Variable attention, Distractibility
• Impulsivity, Hyperactivity
• Difficulty planning and coordinating body movements
• Executive Function/Organization
• Loses papers, forgets homework, messy desk
• Poor sense of time, works slowly
• Overwhelmed by too much input