Yes, dyslexia is considered a neurological (brain-based) learning disability that affects language processing, causing difficulties with reading, spelling, and writing despite normal intelligence, due to different brain wiring for language. Brain imaging shows different patterns of activity and structure in the brains of people with dyslexia compared to those without, particularly in areas processing sounds and matching them to letters.
Dyslexia is a brain-based learning disorder that causes difficulties with reading and processing written language. Symptoms are often discovered when children learn to read.
There is a common misconception that dyslexia only affects the ability to read and write. In reality, dyslexia can affect memory, organisation, time-keeping, concentration, multi-tasking and communication. All impact on everyday life.
The biggest lesson I've learned is that being dyslexic is so much more than struggling with reading and writing. Being dyslexic means that you think and process information on the right side of your brain, instead of the left side, where neurotypical people think.
Dyslexia is not a physical problem with the eyes but a neurological difficulty with the brain. Many of the most common difficulties are caused by the way the brain recalls and works with letters and sounds, called phonological processing.
Dyslexia results from individual differences in the parts of the brain that enable reading. It tends to run in families. Dyslexia appears to be linked to certain genes that affect how the brain processes reading and language.
Research by the University of Strathclyde has found that people with dyslexia are much better at being curious and exploring new ideas and more likely to be found in careers where this is an advantage, such as art, media, architecture, creativity, engineering and inventing things!
Famous actors like Johnny Depp, Keira Knightly and Orlando Bloom all have dyslexia. Pablo Picasso's teachers described him as “having difficulty differentiating the orientation of letters”.
These creative processing skills allow dyslexics to see the bigger picture, and visualise new solutions. This skill is really valuable to employees, in fact, 50% of NASA employees are dyslexic. They are deliberately hired because of their excellent critical thinking skills and spatial awareness.
Some researchers are starting to look into using a brain scan to identify people with dyslexia. But this is still just a concept. For this to become a reality, researchers need to develop techniques that allow them to pinpoint differences in an individual that can be identified reliably in most people with dyslexia.
Three dimensional thinking and making connections
Many people with dyslexia demonstrate better skills at manipulating 3D objects in their mind. Many of the world's top architects and fashion designers have dyslexia.
5 things not to say to your child about dyslexia
Dyslexia does not worsen over time. However, the demands of adult life—more complex reading, multitasking, or workplace expectations—can make its effects more noticeable. With continued support, individuals often learn to manage their challenges and build on their strengths.
One environmental factor drawing increased attention from dyslexia researchers is chronic early life stress. This type of ongoing stress, often related to childhood trauma or adverse childhood events, can affect a growing brain in ways that make dyslexia and reading difficulties more likely.
To spot dyslexia, look for persistent struggles with reading, writing, and spelling despite normal intelligence, including difficulty with phonics (blending sounds), slow/laborious reading, trouble memorizing sight words, poor spelling, and challenges with sequencing (like days of the week) or following multi-step directions, appearing as early as preschool with speech/rhyming issues and persisting into adulthood with word-finding difficulties and reading avoidance.
Dyslexia is not a mental illness and yet I was cared for by a psychiatrist. Today, we call dyslexia a learning disability, but I had no difficulty picking up complex and abstract ideas. Dyslexia didn't affect my learning, I simply had to learn through other mediums.
Bill Gates, one of the richest people in the world didn't let his dyslexia hold him back.
Experts believe one reason may be that dyslexics, who tend not to be good at details, learn to excel by grasping the bigger picture and producing original ideas. They might also be more motivated because of the social exclusion many feel.
Dyslexia is a common specific learning difference that mainly affects reading, writing, and spelling. It can also impact how someone remembers instructions or organises their work. It is not linked to intelligence, and many dyslexic people have strengths in creativity, problem-solving, and thinking in new ways.
Actress Jennifer Aniston has publicly shared that she was diagnosed with dyslexia in her 20s, a diagnosis that explained lifelong struggles with reading, writing, and retaining information, leading her to believe she wasn't smart until discovering the learning disorder. She discovered this during an eye exam, where she realized her eyes jumped words when reading, and the diagnosis helped her understand past difficulties, transforming her self-perception.
Ryan Gosling has accumulated praise for movies like The Notebook, La La Land, and Barbie. However, behind this fame, his life's story was full of bravery. The Hollywood hunk faced dyslexia and Adhd as a kid. School was difficult, and bullying made it worse.
They last met on the island of Kauai when Reeves was 13. Reeves attended four high schools, including the Etobicoke School of the Arts, from which he was expelled. Excelled more in sports than in academics, as his educational development was challenged by dyslexia.
The Many Strengths of Dyslexics
It's a form of extra money to support people who have a long-term physical or mental illness or disability. If you're wondering whether you can get PIP for dyslexia, the short answer is yes. People with dyslexia do fall into the category of having a disability, by law, and can apply for a PIP to receive extra money.
Strong visual and spatial abilities
Many dyslexic individuals have exceptional visual and spatial reasoning. This is why we often excel in areas like architecture, engineering and the visual arts.