What is Dyslexia?

---

 "DYSLEXIA IS A SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITY THAT IS NEUROBIOLOGICAL IN ORIGIN. IT IS CHARACTERIZED BY DIFFICULTIES WITH ACCURATE AND/OR FLUENT WORD RECOGNITION AND BY POOR SPELLING AND DECODING ABILITIES. THESE DIFFICULTIES TYPICALLY RESULT FROM A DEFICIT IN THE PHONOLOGICAL COMPONENT OF LANGUAGE THAT IS OFTEN UNEXPECTED IN RELATION TO OTHER COGNITIVE ABILITIES AND THE PROVISION OF EFFECTIVE CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION. SECONDARY CONSEQUENCES MAY INCLUDE PROBLEMS IN READING COMPREHENSION AND REDUCED READING EXPERIENCE THAT CAN IMPEDE GROWTH OF VOCABULARY AND BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE.”    -   INTERNATIONAL DYSLEXIA ASSOCIATION 

Dyslexia is a difference in how the brain processes sounds and their symbols. Dyslexia is hereditary, meaning that if one parent has it, chances are that one of the children will inherit it. Dyslexia is not something you outgrow, but you can learn to live with it, and get help for it. 

Unfortunately, people with dyslexia also often inherit ADD. Sometimes it is difficult for parents to recognize the symptoms for the trouble they spell out, simply because they suffer from it, too. 

Dyslexia occurs in all nations everywhere. Some languages are regular in their sound-symbol relationships. English has a complicated spelling system. So, it is more difficult to be dyslexic as an English-speaking child than a Spanish-speaking child, based on the complexity of English spelling rules.

Students with dyslexia often do not get the help they need in public school due to lack of knowledge about dyslexia. Students with dyslexia can and will learn how to read with the correct approach.