What Is Dyslexia?

Description of Dyslexia:

In Greek terminology we can break down the word dyslexia into two parts: “dys” and “lexia”. “Dys” means hard/difficult and “lexia” means having to do with words. So putting these two definitions together we conclude that dyslexia means having a hard time/dificulty with words. Dyslexia can also be more deeply described as a neurological disorder in a person who’s having difficulties with reading comprehension, word recognition, phonological processing, or spelling (Büttner & Hasselborn).

Dyslexia happens to be the most prominent and most studied learning disability with about 80% of those diagnosed with a learning disability having dyslexia. Dyslexia affects about 5-17% of school-age children, ranges varying between

Some difficult areas that one might see problems with include speaking, reading, and writing. Signs and symptoms of dyslexia associated with speaking include mispronunciations, problems following instructions, struggles with word retrieval, problems comprehending concepts related to word and sentence structures, and problems gaining vocabulary. Signs and symptoms of dyslexia associated with reading include word reversals, skipping of words, word replacements, trouble distinguishing between letters that look similar, and poor understanding of oral reading. Signs and symptoms of dyslexia associated with writing include exclusion of beginning or ending letters and problems with numeric cognition. Although there are many signs and symptoms for dyslexia, there is no specific pattern that effects everyone the same, but many times one might present multiple characteristics of the disorder. (SO

As reading starts, the written image is seen by the eye(s) and sent through to both maculae. From there, this image is sent on to both the cerebral cortexes. Once this information reaches the cerebral cortex, it is then received by the primary visual cortex in which some analysis of the word will take place. The information is then received by the angular gyrus, which is the area of the brain where reading occurs. Finally, the auditory version of the word is processed in Wernicke’s area for comprehension. (SO Wajuihian).

It is still very much unknown what exactly are the causes and exactly what parts of the brain are involved in dyslexia, but dyslexia can be studied and diagnosed by utilizing brain scanning equipment (MRI, CT, and PET to name a few). With this technology, we are able to observe the structural and functional aspects of the brain. We can see the size and shape of the brain, the brain’s anatomical structures, and identify any atypical brain structures or activities (SO Wajuihian).

Neurological Research on