Health - Quick guide to ... Dyslexia

21 April 2009 1 min read Health

Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that mainly affects reading and spelling. It is characterised by difficulties in processing word-sounds and weaknesses in short-term verbal memory. Earlier this month, a leading academic claimed thousands of pupils are being wrongly diagnosed with the condition because parents and schools fail to teach them properly.

- Current evidence suggests that difficulties caused by dyslexia arise from inefficiencies in language-processing areas in the left hemisphere of the brain that appear to be genetic. Dyslexia is life-long, but its effects can be minimised by targeted support and changes to ways of working and learning

- The degree to which dyslexia causes problems, in learning and in everyday life, depends on many factors. These include the severity of the dyslexia, the other strengths and abilities that a person has, and the kind of teaching and support they get

- Dyslexia need not be a barrier to success if it is properly recognised within society, and steps are taken to provide suitable teaching. Some experts believe dyslexia can give some people visual, spatial and lateral thinking abilities that enable them to be successful in a wide range of careers

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