Dyslexia Meaning
Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that affects language-based skills, such as reading and writing. It, however, does not affect people’s general intelligence. People with dyslexia face challenges with reading but can have average or above-average intelligence. According to the International Dyslexia Association, dyslexia is the most widespread learning disability and the leading cause of challenges with reading, writing, and spelling.
Dyslexia is part of neurodiversity, which refers to differences in brain development and functioning that affect how words are processed and read. The exact cause is unknown, but in most cases, it is hereditary and can also be acquired due to a brain injury. Dyslexia can vary in degree and type, but it generally impacts the ability to process and recognise the connection between sounds and letters.
For some, even short, familiar words can be difficult to say or read, so people try hard to sound them out. Writing, spelling, speaking or reading ability can also be affected, which is why dyslexia is considered a language-based learning difficulty.
Different Types of Dyslexia
As explained earlier, dyslexia is a language-based learning difficulty characterised by a range of symptoms. According to the International Dyslexia Association, around 20% of the population has dyslexia.
Although dyslexia cannot be cured, it can be very effectively supported. Treatment and support strategies vary depending on the type of dyslexia and the individual’s unique needs. Our highly trained care teams create personalised, strengths-focused care plans to help each person thrive. Dyslexia is most often identified during childhood, but many people are also diagnosed later in life. Experts categorise signs and symptoms into different types to ensure that both children and adults receive appropriate, tailored support.
What is also essential is not to confuse the term “math dyslexia” with dyslexia itself, which is commonly used to describe people with dyscalculia. This is actually a separate learning difficulty that affects people’s ability to utilise basic math skills.
Phonological Dyslexia
Some people with dyslexia have difficulty with phonemic awareness, the ability to recognise the sounds of letters combined to form a word. This is also known as auditory dyslexia and dysphonetic dyslexia. Breaking down words into syllables and connecting letters to their corresponding sounds can be challenging. People with phonological dyslexia can usually read words they already know, but they find it difficult to read new, unfamiliar words, or made-up words that can be sounded out. Instead, it relates to how the brain processes language.
Phonological dyslexia is one of the most common types of dyslexia, and some of the symptoms include:
- Difficulty spelling
- Difficulty learning the sounds of letters
- Difficulty sounding out words
- Slow reading
- Avoiding reading activities
- Difficulty analysing unknown words
Rapid Naming Dyslexia
Rapid Naming Dyslexia involves challenges with the brain’s ability to access and verbalise stored information quickly. This affects the automatic part of reading—moving effortlessly from recognising a symbol to saying or understanding it.
The difficulty is also not related to intelligence, motivation, or lack of practice. It reflects how the brain’s processing speed and language retrieval systems work. Most common characteristics are:
- Using gestures rather than words
- Substituting words
- Leaving words out
- Slow response to words
Double Deficit Dyslexia
Double Deficit Dyslexia refers to a profile where both:
- Phonological dyslexia (difficulties with phonological awareness and decoding) and
- Rapid Naming dyslexia (slow naming speed and weak reading fluency)
are present at the same time.
Because these two areas are central to reading, people with this profile often face greater challenges than those with just one deficit.
One of the most common characteristics of this dyslexia type are:
- Trouble identifying and manipulating sounds in words
- Difficulties blending sounds into words
- Difficulty quickly naming colours, letters, digits, or objects
- Slow, effortful reading
- Very slow reading development, even with practice
- Difficulty keeping up in lessons or reading-based tasks
- Trouble holding information in mind while decoding
- Losing place in sentences
Surface Dyslexia
People who can easily sound out new words but don’t recognise familiar words by sight may have surface dyslexia. In this case, experts believe that the brain has difficulty identifying what words look like, which slows processing.
This type of dyslexia affects words that should be memorised but don’t sound the way they are spelt. This also makes it even harder to sound them out. Other names for surface dyslexia include visual or dyseidetic dyslexia. Some of the common signs and characteristics include:
- Slower reading rate
- Difficulty with word recognition
- Difficulty with spelling
- Difficulty reading words that don’t sound like they are spelt
- Confusing letters that differ in orientation, like b-d, p-q
- Confusing words that can be dynamically reversed, like was-saw
- Limited sight vocabulary
- Difficulty recalling the shapes of letters
Visual Dyslexia
Visual dyslexia affects visual processing, causing the brain to omit the complete picture of what the eyes see. People with this type of dyslexia find reading difficult. The text may seem blurry or appear to move across the page. Some of the symptoms of visual dyslexia include:
- Difficulty tracking lines of text
- Text appearing blurred or going out of focus
- Difficulty keeping text in place
- Text seems double or alternating between single and double
- Headaches and eyestrain
Primary Dyslexia vs. Secondary Dyslexia
Primary Dyslexia (sometimes called developmental dyslexia) refers to dyslexia that is present from birth and is caused by genetic and neurobiological factors. This is the form most people mean when they say “dyslexia.” Primary dyslexia is lifelong, not caused by the environment or teaching, and is the most common type of dyslexia.
On the other hand, Secondary Dyslexia refers to reading difficulties arising from external or developmental factors rather than genetic or neurobiological causes. It is a dyslexia-like profile resulting from early-life circumstances.
There is one type of dyslexia that encompasses both primary and secondary dyslexia: developmental dyslexia. Understanding whether a difficulty is primary or secondary helps care professionals choose the right interventions:
- Secondary dyslexia → focused literacy instruction and environmental improvements
- Primary dyslexia → long-term, structured, specialist dyslexia support
Developmental Dyslexia vs. Acquired Dyslexia
Developmental dyslexia is the most common and widely recognised form of dyslexia. It is a neurodevelopmental learning difference present from birth and usually becomes noticeable during the early school years as children begin learning to read. This type of dyslexia is linked to:
- Genetic factors (often run in families)
- Differences in brain structure and function
- Neurobiological variations in phonological processing, working memory, and processing speed
People with developmental dyslexia may experience:
- Trouble breaking words into sounds (phonological processing)
- Challenges with decoding and spelling
- Slow or uneven reading fluency
- Rapid naming difficulties
- Working memory weaknesses
- Inconsistent or phonetic-style spelling
Acquired dyslexia, also called Alexia, develops after a person has already learned to read. It is caused by damage to brain regions involved in reading. Common causes include stroke, traumatic brain injury, brain tumour, neurological diseases (e.g., dementia) and brain infections or lack of oxygen. Unlike developmental dyslexia, acquired dyslexia results from neurological injury rather than a developmental difference.
A person with acquired dyslexia may have:
- In severe cases, loss of reading ability
- Sudden difficulty recognising written words
- Problems sounding out or decoding words they previously read easily
- Reduced reading fluency
- Difficulty matching written words to spoken language
- Misreading, skipping words, or substituting words
Dyslexia FAQs
Learning more about dyslexia and how we as a community can collectively embrace and support people with dyslexia is a crucial step toward breaking stereotypes and misconceptions.
Can You Outgrow Dyslexia?
Dyslexia is not something that people can outgrow. However, early intervention and support can do so much to mitigate the challenges. Today, there are also several methodologies, technologies and tools that can help support people with dyslexia in adapting and overcoming the challenges that may arise.
Can You Develop Dyslexia Later in Life?
Most people diagnosed with dyslexia have it from birth. Still, it is possible to develop a type of dyslexia later in life due to a traumatic brain injury, concussion or a stroke.
What is the Most Common Type of Dyslexia?
The most common type of dyslexia is Phonological Dyslexia, also known as Primary or Developmental Dyslexia. Research from the International Dyslexia Association and UK educational sources indicates that phonological deficits are at the heart of most cases of dyslexia, making this subtype the most prevalent.
Can a Person Have More Than One Type of Dyslexia?
Yes, a person can have more than one type of dyslexia. This is often referred to as a “mixed” or “double deficit” profile, depending on the combination of difficulties. Double Deficit Dyslexia is the clearest example: it combines phonological deficits (difficulty decoding sounds) with rapid naming deficits (difficulty quickly retrieving familiar words, letters, or numbers). Some people may also show characteristics of surface dyslexia, in which they struggle with irregular word recognition, alongside phonological difficulties.
Does Dyslexia Affect IQ?
No, dyslexia does not affect IQ. People with dyslexia can have any level of intelligence, from average to gifted. Dyslexia is a specific learning difference that affects the brain’s ability to process written language, not general cognitive ability. Because of the reading challenges children face, people tend to think that children with dyslexia will usually perform and progress more slowly than their peers.
It’s important to differentiate between children’s intelligence and reading difficulties. Research indicates that children and students with dyslexia exhibit strong problem-solving skills and enhanced creativity. Dyslexic children have vivid imagination, which allows them to perform well in activities like painting and drawing. Also, dyslexic children can think outside the box, find creative solutions to problems, and see things from different perspectives.
