The International Dyslexia Association defines dyslexia as “a language-based learning disability. Dyslexia refers to a cluster of symptoms, which result in people having difficulties with specific language skills, particularly reading. Students with dyslexia usually experience difficulties with other language skills such as spelling, writing, and pronouncing words.”   

Dyslexia is a processing disorder of the parts of the brain that code and decode symbolic language. The symptoms can be visual (problems seeing word symbols), phonological (problems speaking symbolic), and auditory (problems hearing symbolic language). Some common symptoms include:
    1)    Starts to speak later in age.
    2)    Muddles words (aminal instead of animal).
    3)    Unable to tell the difference between letters and squiggles.
    4)    Doesn’t enjoy being read to.
    5)    Transposes letters.
    6)    Reverses of letters and numbers.
    7)    Inserts or omits words when reading.
    8)    Unable to retell a story.

The brain’s ability to recognize and understand written and spoken language is not connected to a person’s intelligence although dyslexic individuals are sometimes identified as “slow” or “learning disabled.” In fact, symbolic processing is not a higher order brain function as compared to other cognitive and executive functions.

Dyslexia occurs across cultures and ethnicities. However, it is more prevalent in English speaking countries because of variability in language structure and pronunciations. It is less prevalent in Japan and Germany, for example.

Remember that dyslexia is a term that, in practice, is used to represents number of learning disorders. Depending upon who you ask, it is estimated that 5% to 20% of public school students have a learning disorder. Among these, dyslexia is diagnosed about 80% of the time.

Other related disorders include dyscalculia (problems with numerical symbols), dysgraphia (problems writing symbolic language), auditory and/or visual processing disorders, and working memory deficits.

Historically, research findings suggest that dyslexia occurs in boys and girls at about the same rate. However, a 2004 study by Dr. Michael Rutter, et al reports that boys actually have more learning disorders than girls by about two to one.

For parents and teachers, however, these estimates are irrelevant. Learning disorders occur in one child at a time.