What is dyslexia?
Dyslexia has been around for a long time and has been defined in different ways.
For example, in 1968, the World Federation of Neurologists defined dyslexia as
"a disorder in children who, despite conventional classroom experience, fail to
attain the language skills of reading, writing, and spelling commensurate with
their intellectual abilities." According to the U.S. National Institutes of
Health, dyslexia is a learning disability that can hinder a person's ability to
read, write, spell, and sometimes speak. Dyslexia is the most common learning
disability in children and persists throughout life. The severity of dyslexia
can vary from mild to severe. The sooner dyslexia is treated, the more favorable
the outcome; however, it is never too late for people with dyslexia to learn to
improve their language skills.
Children with dyslexia have difficulty in learning to read despite
traditional instruction, at least average intelligence, and an adequate
opportunity to learn. It is caused by an impairment in the brain's ability to
translate images received from the eyes or ears into understandable language. It
does not result from vision or hearing problems. It is not due to mental
retardation, brain damage, or a lack of intelligence.
Dyslexia can go undetected in the early grades
of schooling. The child can become frustrated by the difficulty
in learning to read, and other problems can arise that disguise
dyslexia. The child may show signs of depression and low self-esteem. Behavior problems at home as well as at school are frequently
seen. The child may become unmotivated and develop a dislike for
school. The child's success in school may be jeopardized if the
problem remains untreated.