A dyslexic person might see letters jumbled, backward, or moving, while words can appear blurry, double, or run together, making it hard to focus on text that seems to jump or shift; they struggle to connect letters to sounds, recognize familiar words, or remember what they've read, leading to slow, effortful reading, headaches, and fatigue, as the brain works overtime to process the visual and linguistic information.
When people with dyslexia see text on a page, a whole range of different phenomena can occur. For example, some people may experience letters appearing to jump around, while others might confuse similar-looking letters that are close in appearance. It can vary greatly from person to person.
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”.
Confusing similar looking letters and words
Common mistakes when reading and spelling are mixing up b's and d's, or similar looking words such as 'was' and 'saw', 'how' and 'who'. Letters and numbers can be written back-to-front or upside down.
Five key characteristics of dyslexia include difficulty with accurate and fluent reading, problems with spelling and writing, trouble retrieving words or mixing up sounds, avoiding reading/writing tasks, and challenges with sequencing (like days of the week or times tables), often stemming from difficulties with phonological processing (connecting sounds to letters).
No, dyslexia is not a form of ADHD; they are separate neurodevelopmental conditions, but they often co-occur (comorbid) because they share some symptoms like attention issues and can affect similar brain functions, though their core problems differ: dyslexia is a language-based learning disorder, while ADHD involves inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Many people have both, making proper assessment crucial for targeted support, as dyslexia impacts reading/language processing, while ADHD broadly affects executive functions like focus and self-regulation.
According to UMHS, the following conditions can present similar symptoms and difficulties to dyslexia:
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!
Understanding and supporting individuals with Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia, and Dyspraxia is essential for fostering an inclusive and effective learning environment. These disorders can also coincide with other conditions such as ADHD and Autism, requiring a comprehensive approach.
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.
Despite these obstacles, Cruise demonstrated remarkable determination to succeed in acting, which he pursued right after high school. In overcoming his dyslexia, Cruise developed a unique visual learning strategy.
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.
What these strengths mean
Dyslexia is often thought of as a problem with letter or number reversals (like mixing up b and d, or p and q) or transpositions (12 for 21). Known as motoric dyslexia, this is actually among the least severe and most uncommon of the different types of dyslexia.
Bill Gates, one of the richest people in the world didn't let his dyslexia hold him back.
Challenges and strengths of dyslexia
Albert Einstein
He had problems through school, that lead people tio believe he was Dyslexic. He overcame these problems to become arguably the most famous scientist of the modern era.
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.
General signs to look for are:
in the Simple View of Writing
For example, the writing of students with dyslexia may suffer from one or more of the following issues: a high percentage of misspelled words, difficult-to-read hand- writing, poor organization, a lack of fully developed ideas, and/or a lack of diverse vocabulary.
In another study, dyslexic brains have less white and grey matter. White matter is deep in the brain and is necessary for communication between nerves around various parts of the brain.
Researchers find that attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder drug atomoxetine could benefit children with dyslexia. Reading scores significantly improved in children with dyslexia only or ADHD and dyslexia who received atomoxetine compared with those who received placebo.
The ADHD "30% Rule" is a guideline suggesting that executive functions (like self-regulation, planning, and emotional control) in people with ADHD develop about 30% slower than in neurotypical individuals, meaning a 10-year-old might function more like a 7-year-old in these areas, requiring adjusted expectations for maturity, task management, and behavior. It's a tool for caregivers and adults with ADHD to set realistic goals, not a strict scientific law, helping to reduce frustration by matching demands to the person's actual developmental level (executive age) rather than just their chronological age.
All people, young and old, can experience overwhelming stress and exhibit signs of anxiety, but children, adolescents, and adults with dyslexia are particularly vulnerable.