What is dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a common learning disorder that mainly affects reading and spelling. It’s lifelong, but skills can improve with help.
Dyslexia is a lifelong learning disorder that affects reading and spelling. It can also cause problems with writing and math.
Dyslexia is the most common . It’s not clear exactly how many people have it. Expert opinions vary widely, and estimates of the rate of dyslexia in kids range from 5 to 17.5 percent.
Since people don’t outgrow dyslexia, it’s common in adults, too. But “lifelong” doesn’t mean that people have the same difficulties throughout life.
Because it affects reading, some people think dyslexia is a problem with vision. It’s not. Dyslexia is a problem with language processing. Reading starts with being able to recognize and work with the sounds of spoken language. This skill is called phonological awareness.
Dyslexia doesn’t look the same in all people. There are many aspects to reading, and people can struggle with some skills more than others. The difficulties can vary in degree, too.
There’s no cure for dyslexia, but there is help. Specialized reading instruction and supports like accommodations can improve skills and reduce challenges at school and at work.
Causes of dyslexia
Dyslexia is a neurodevelopmental disorder. It’s caused by differences in how the brain develops and functions. (The same is true of other learning disorders and ADHD.)
Researchers have used brain-imaging scans (fMRIs) to compare what happens in the brain when people with and without dyslexia read and process language. They’ve found that different areas of the brain are active in people with dyslexia.1
Also, dyslexia runs in families.1 Researchers have been looking into the role genes might play. A large-scale study from 2022 showed many genetic differences that are linked to problems with reading and with processing language.2
Symptoms of dyslexia
Signs of dyslexia vary from person to person and can change over time. They’re often different in kids than in adults. If you have dyslexia, your symptoms as an adult may not look like the symptoms you had as a child. But in general, people with dyslexia have trouble with:
Decoding (sounding out words)
Encoding (spelling words)
Fluency (reading at a good pace and without mistakes)
Symptoms in kids
A key sign of dyslexia in kids is trouble with sounding out words and knowing how to blend sounds. But dyslexia symptoms can appear as early as preschool — before kids are learning to read. If your child has dyslexia, you may notice symptoms such as:
Mispronouncing words
Struggling to learn nursery rhymes or song lyrics that rhyme
Mixing up letters that look similar
Not being interested in learning about letters and sounds
Signs in adults
Some signs of dyslexia in adults are related to reading skills. Others are the result of reading challenges. These signs might involve emotions or behavior.
For example, you may get anxious when you read or are asked to read out loud. This can happen even after you’re able to read quickly and without many mistakes.
Other signs include:
Not understanding what you’ve read
Making a lot of mistakes when reading
Quickly forgetting names of people and places
Feeling tired after reading
Avoiding reading
Difficulty with spelling and writing
Diagnosing dyslexia
While the term dyslexia is widely used, you might hear different terms for it, depending on the setting.
For example, schools use the term specific learning disability in reading when they evaluate students for special education services. That’s the official term in the special education law IDEA. (Schools may also say dyslexia, though.)
When outside professionals make a diagnosis, they refer to a specific learning disorder with impairment in reading. That’s the official term in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).
Dyslexia isn’t the only reason people struggle with reading. The only way to know what’s causing the difficulty is through a complete evaluation that looks at a range of skills.
Schools test for reading problems as part of a broader evaluation for special education services. Evaluations done at public schools are free.
Outside professionals also do evaluations — both for adults and kids. Private evaluations can be expensive, though. Some insurance companies cover this type of testing.
The professionals who might do evaluations include:
School psychologists
Clinical psychologists
Neuropsychologists
Reading involves many skills, from decoding and spelling to comprehension and writing. So, evaluators use a number of tests to identify specific challenges. The tests for adults are the same as or similar to the ones for kids.
Evaluations for adults may include tests to look at other skills that affect reading. Two examples are attention and working memory.
Evaluations take about three to four hours for younger kids. For teens and adults, they often take a total of six to eight hours.
Treatment
There are no medications for dyslexia. But special instruction can help people with dyslexia improve reading, spelling, and writing skills.
A widely used approach is called Orton–Gillingham (OG). It’s highly structured, meaning that reading skills are taught in a direct way and in a logical order.3 (You might hear it called structured literacy.) Common reading programs for dyslexia are based on it. These include the Barton Reading System and the Wilson Reading System.
OG also involves multisensory instruction. It engages people’s senses and gives them more than one way to connect with what they’re learning.
Proper dyslexia instruction doesn’t just improve skills. Research has shown that it can actually change how the brain functions, creating the pathways needed for reading.4
The earlier people get specialized instruction, the better. But it’s never too late to get help to become a more fluent reader. Some private reading specialists work with adults, using approaches that are similar to the ones they use with kids.
Co-occurring conditions
Dyslexia often occurs with other conditions. These include:
ADHD
Dyscalculia
Dysgraphia
Written expression disorder
Executive function challenges
Anxiety
Depression
A full evaluation looks at other areas besides reading. It can help identify some of these conditions, too. Understanding all of the challenges can let you address each one.
Next steps
If you or your child have been diagnosed with dyslexia, there are things you can do to help improve skills and manage challenges.
Parents should talk with their child’s health care professional and teacher about the challenges their child is facing. Ask about resources and strategies to help at home.
If your child gets special education services, it’s important to stay on top of how it’s going. One thing you can do is ask for regular progress monitoring updates that will show if the instruction is working.
Adults should consider disclosing their reading disability at work. By sharing this information with your employer, you may be able to get workplace accommodations so your dyslexia doesn’t keep you from doing your best on the job.
For some people, the challenges of dyslexia and its co-occurring conditions can lead to self-esteem issues, anxiety, and depression. Cognitive behavioral therapy can be helpful for both kids and adults.
Summary
Dyslexia is the most common learning disorder. It mainly affects reading, spelling, and writing. It is lifelong, but symptoms can vary in degree and change over time.
Dyslexia is a neurodevelopmental disorder. That means it’s caused by differences in how the brain develops and functions. It also runs in families, so it’s likely that genetics play a role.
There are no medications or proven therapies for dyslexia. But special instruction can help people with dyslexia improve their literacy skills.
The only way to know if a person has dyslexia is through an evaluation. Kids can get full evaluations for free at school. Adults need to be evaluated privately, which can be expensive.
There are real benefits to being diagnosed or identified with dyslexia. Kids might get special reading instruction at school. They might also get accommodations to keep their challenges from getting in the way of learning. Adults who disclose their disability to their employers might be able to get accommodations at work.
Related resources
We have many resources on dyslexia and the effect it can have on kids and adults. These include podcasts, videos, personal stories, and more.
Listen: Advice from a career coach with ADHD and dyslexia
Watch: Video: Dyslexia and the brain
Read: Is dyslexia genetic?
