Dyslexia is a neurological disorder that affects reading skills. It is characterized by difficulty in phonemic awareness, phonology, and word decoding skills. People with dyslexia often have trouble with some of the following: knowing the alphabet, being able to read quickly, reading aloud, and being able to spell words correctly. Dyslexia occurs in individuals who have normal intelligence and normal vision. It is not caused by any problems with hearing or general health issues. However, it can run in families.
The exact cause of dyslexia is unknown, but it is believed to be related to a problem in the brain that makes it difficult to process language properly. Dyslexia occurs more frequently in males than females. The condition also appears to be more common among people who have a family history of dyslexia or other learning disabilities. Some research suggests that people with dyslexia may have difficulty processing certain types of information from their environment (e.g., sounds or shapes). This difficulty can make it hard for them to learn how to read and write.
Most people with dyslexia require specialized instruction and accommodations in order to improve reading skills. Some common accommodations include using books on tape or CD, having text read aloud by a computer program or another person, receiving extra time on tests, and being allowed to use a calculator when taking math tests. Many people with dyslexia benefit from tutoring or other types of specialized help from trained professionals such as teachers, psychologists, and speech-language therapists