Dyslexia is a learning disability that affects primarily the ability to read and spell. Dyslexia should not be confused with other reading difficulties, which result from various neurological problems regarding vision or hearing. it is roughly estimated that this particular disability affects between 5 and 10 percent of the entire world’s population.
It is important to realize that dyslexia is not associated with low IQ. Since dyslexics are often perceived by the society to be intellectually impaired, many campaigns were started to correct this misconception, often involving celebrities diagnosed with dyslexia.
Dyslexia cannot be completely cured. However, with the help of instructors, courses, support groups and specialized training, a dyslexic person can overcome his or her disability and be able to function normally in the society. There are also systems, devices and programs, such as context-sensitive spell checkers, text-to-speech systems and others that can make it easier to deal with everyday tasks that involve reading or writing.
Dyslexia is a result of neurological factors but there are also conditions that may be considered as contributory factors. Those include aphasia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, auditory processing disorder, developmental dyspraxia, Irlen syndrome and several more. `
Symptoms of dyslexia in adults
The symptoms of dyslexia vary depending on the severity of the disorder and on the age. In fact, a child who is seven and a teenager who is fourteen will not have the same symptoms of this disability.
Even though dyslexia is in most cases identified and diagnosed in childhood, when the child first starts having learning disabilities, it is possible for a person to reach the adulthood without being identified as dyslexic ever before.
Some of the signs that may indicate a person is dyslexic involve avoiding reading or writing whenever it is possible, avoiding social situations in which reading out loud is required, trying to conceal the difficulties by making other people read and write, poor spelling abilities, poor organizational and management skills and relying more on memory and verbal skills.
Adult dyslexics rely on others to correct their spelling and often have excellent verbal skills to compensate for difficulties reading and writing. Dyslexics also have excellent memory because they rely on it a lot.
Some of the professions that are often chosen by dyslexics are engineers, designers, architects, artists, mathematicians, physicists and craftsmen. However, on their jobs, dyslexics are often working below their actual intellectual ability.
Some of the accomplished adults with dyslexia are so good in concealing their disability that people around them are often not even aware of it.
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