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What is dyslexia?
Can you tell me what dyslexia is and how many people are affected by it?
Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty affecting a person's ability to deal with text, and often numbers as well. Dyslexia is estimated to occur in about 5 - 8% of the population. Similar to color blindness, it is a permanent disability which needs continuous support through schooling, but which is often accompanied by strengths in areas such as creative work physical co-ordination and empathy with other people.

Causes.
Can you tell me what causes it?
Dyslexia is brought about though inherited traits. Its cause has not been fully established, but the effect is to create neurological anomalies in the brain. These anomalies bring about varying degrees of difficulty in learning when using words and symbols. For detailed information read the article 'Dyslexia - what causes it?'

Symptoms.
What are the symptoms of Dyslexia?
People who are dyslexic have phonological difficulties, that is, they find it difficult to sort out the sounds within words. This means that they have problems with reading, writing and spelling. The majority of dyslexic adults have difficulty with text, memory and the sequencing processes of basic mathematics.

Is there a cure?
Can dyslexia be cured?
Each dyslexic person's difficulties are different and vary from slight to very severe disruption of the learning process. There is no total cure, but the effects of dyslexia can be alleviated by careful management, the use of computer aids, other techniques to help with spelling, laterality and math, and methods to raise the person's self-esteem. The neurological differences also give some dyslexic people visual, spatial, physical co-ordination and lateral thinking abilities that enable them to be successful in a wide range of careers.One famous architect's practice gives preference to employing people who are dyslexic because of their spatial awareness and lateral thinking abilities.

Just another word for unintelligent?
Is it true that the word 'dyslexic' is just another word for unintelligent?
This is not the case at all. Dyslexia is a neurological condition which some people are born with, comparable to color blindness. It simply means that certain circuits in the brain do not operate in the usual way, and cause learning difficulties - to a greater or lesser degree - particularly with spelling, reading and number work. A dyslexic person has to learn alternative approaches to learning the things which most people take in quite easily. These alternative approaches are often referred to as 'multi-sensory', and involve the use of all the senses - especially visual techniques and physical movement - to help remember letters and spellings.

More FAQs about dyslexia.

Dyslexia Parents' Resource - Hints and Tips - helpful hints and tips sent in by parents of dyslexic children and teenagers.

World of Dyslexia Discussion Forum - wide-ranging forum for discussion and advice sharing.

Your questions.
If you have a question you would like answered, then go to our Dyslexic Adults Discussion Forum.