Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that affects an individual’s reading, writing, and spelling. It is relatively common, with 1 in 10 people in the UK estimated to have some degree of dyslexia.
In this article, we take a detailed look into dyslexia, including causes and common signs, and the support that is available for individuals with a diagnosis.
As mentioned above, dyslexia is a learning difficulty affecting reading, writing, and spelling. It does not affect intelligence, which is a common misconception.
Dyslexia is a life-long diagnosis – there is no cure, however, there are lots of support options to help improve reading and writing skills.
This video from Ted-Ed, created by Kelli Sandman-Hurley, author and co-founder of the Dyslexia Training Institute, looks at some of the difficulties people with dyslexia may face.
There is no exact cause currently known, however, genetics is thought to be the most common cause of dyslexia, as it often runs in families.
Dyslexia can also develop later in life due to trauma, disease or a brain injury. This can sometimes be known as acquired dyslexia.
We will look at the different types of dyslexia in more detail later on in this article, but first it is important to identify the signs that you or someone you know may have dyslexia.
Dyslexia can present differently between individuals, and as a result of this, signs and symptoms can also vary from person to person.
Common signs in children may include delayed speech development, struggling to learn names and sounds of letters, reading aloud slowly, slow writing speed and trouble with spelling or mixing up similar letters.
These symptoms can also be present in teenagers and adults, alongside difficulty taking notes or planning essays or reports, struggling to meet deadlines, poorly organised written work, and trying to avoid reading and writing as much as possible.
Find a full list of potential symptoms on the NHS website.
There are no official, medically recognised subtypes of dyslexia, however as it can present differently between individuals, researchers have tried to separate different types. This helps to improve research, and is also useful when devising support resources, as they can be tailored to provide more focused support.
Some of the most commonly mentioned sub-types of dyslexia include:
Developmental – Developmental dyslexia is present from birth. There are two variations within this subcategory: primary and secondary.
Primary dyslexia is inherited. Research suggests that there is a 40-60% probability of inheriting dyslexia.
With primary dyslexia, it is the left side of the brain that is affected, and this can affect the ability to process language.
Secondary dyslexia develops in the womb, and is caused by neurological development issues rather than genetics.
Acquired – Acquired dyslexia is not present at birth and generally develops later in life due to trauma, disease or a brain injury that leads to difficulties in processing and understanding language.
There are also further sub-categories that may be referenced, and these include:
Phonological – Difficulty breaking down words into individual sound patterns.
Surface – Trouble recognising written words, even familiar ones, and difficulty matching written words to the verbal sounds.
Visual – Difficulty remembering things after reading them, and difficulty with spelling or forming letters when writing.
As the subtypes of dyslexia are not officially recognised, a diagnosis will simply be referred to as dyslexia.
In order to receive a formal diagnosis, individuals must undergo a diagnostic assessment. These assessments are not available through the NHS.
The British Dyslexia Association offer an Individual Assessment Service which provides contacts with BDA Approved Assessors who can organise and carry out a diagnostic assessment.
Learn more about diagnostic assessments for dyslexia.
If you have a dyslexia diagnosis, there is lots of support available.
At a younger age, schools, colleges, and universities have lots of tools and techniques and may also have dedicated staff members to support students with dyslexia. Some of the tools and techniques may include additional time for exams, different coloured paper or coloured overlays, and technologies such as e-readers or tablets. There are also lots of apps available designed specifically for individuals with dyslexia to help with spellings, and identifying word patterns and sounds.
Lots of the techniques learnt throughout childhood and early adolescence can then be used and applied throughout adulthood to help with reading and writing.
As an adult, your workplace should also make reasonable adjustments and offer support if required. Read more about supporting someone with a learning difficulty in the workplace.
If you were diagnosed as an adult and did not receive help and support at a younger age, there are lots of things you can do to help manage your dyslexia, such as:
This list is not exhaustive, and you can find further tips, advice and information on the British Dyslexia Association website.
Here at Northern Healthcare, our teams are flexible in their approach to specialist support for individuals with dyslexia and other learning difficulties. We support all of our residents to build confidence, strengthen relationships, and gain greater independence.
Our teams work one-to-one with each resident to find the right tools to support them, empowering them to live independent and fulfilled lives. We also work closely with external professionals including speech language therapists and psychologists, to create bespoke communication tools for residents who may have difficulty processing information. These can include visual aids, easy-to-read guides, and grab sheets.
Find out more about our support model.
Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash.
