What you should know about dyslexia

• Dyslexia is a language processing disorder that causes difficulty with reading, writing and spelling.


• Dyslexia is NOT a sign of poor intelligence or laziness. It is also not the result of impaired vision.


• Dyslexia can affect different people differently - some can have difficulty with reading and spelling, while others might find using words correctly and writing or telling left from right challenging.


• According to the National Institute of Child and Human Development, as many as 15% of Americans have significant difficulties learning to read.


• Like all learning disabilities, dyslexia is a lifelong challenge.


• Using alternate learning methods, people with dyslexia can learn how to achieve success.

Dyslexia: Warning Signs by Age

Young Children

• Difficulty recognizing letters, matching letters to sounds and blending sounds into speech


• Confusion when pronouncing words, i.e. "mawn lower" instead of "lawn mower"


• Slow to learn and use new vocabulary words correctly


• Trouble learning the alphabet, numbers, days of the week or similar common word sequences


• Difficulty with rhyming

School-Age Children

• Difficulty mastering the rules of spelling


• Trouble remembering facts and numbers


• Poor handwriting, awkward pencil grip


• Slow to learn and understand new skills - relies heavily on memorization


• Frequent reading and spelling errors such as reversing letters (d, b) or moving letters around (left, felt)


• Difficulty following a sequence of direction

• Reading below expected level


• Difficulty understanding non-literal language, i.e. idioms, jokes, proverbs


• Avoiding reading aloud


• Difficulty organizing and managing time


• Trouble summarizing a story


• Difficulty learning a foreign language


• Poor memory skills