For people living with learning disabilities even the smallest task can often seem insurmountable. Just imagine trying to go into a grocery store and picking up the things you need to create a recipe. If you have adult dyslexia then even making that list can seem impossible. Far too often children with dyslexia are simply passed through school until they graduate, or at least that was what happened in the past. Teachers would often find the children difficult and would simply put them in a remedial class. Those children grew up and still had the same learning disability. Dyslexia is a very common learning disability and one that is not solely reserved just for children. Adults all across the world suffer from this condition and many do not get the help that they need. This article will cover many of the questions that adult dyslexia diagnosis brings up. If you know of someone that is suffering from this disability, maybe you can help them get the help they need.
How is adult dyslexia diagnosed?
Unfortunately many adults that are living with dyslexia are not properly diagnosed as a child. In children there are several developmental signs that point to whether or not he or she has dyslexia. Diagnosing it in adults can be difficult because they may have some functioning reading, writing and mathematics abilities but learning comes as a great challenge. But there are some tests that can be performed to determine whether an adult does have dyslexia or if it is another problem causing them poor performance. Diagnosing of dyslexia is quite a complex series of tests that range from an IQ test to a short term memory test. It can also include a reading test where the subject is tested to determine the level at which he or she can read and understand the written material. Most of these tests are performed by professionals such as neurologists, educational psychologists, neuropsychologists and even medical doctors.
What are some theories of dyslexia?
There are many theories regarding adult dyslexia or dyslexia in general. Some of these are: evolutionary hypothesis, phonological deficit theory, visual theory, cerebellar theory and rapid auditory processing theory. Evolutionary hypothesis is actually quite interesting. The theory suggests that the reason some people are dyslexic is because reading is an “unnatural act” because it is only in the last 100 years that reading has become so important. The idea is that it does not come naturally to people and individuals are forced to learn to read even though the body truly does not have a physical use for it. The Phonological deficit theory is one that relies upon the fact that there may be impairment when it comes to listening. The storage area of the brain does not process sounds quite the same way that others perceive and retrieve it. In contrast is the visual theory which means that a visual distortion or impairment makes it hard for the individual to process letters or words when it is written. The cerebellar theory is an actual biological theory that the cerebellum is dysfunctional. The rapid auditory processing theory is similar to the phonological deficit theory except that this theory deals with short sounds that may occur rapidly.
Who are some early pioneers in discovering and researching adult dyslexia and dyslexia in general?
There have been many great early researchers, doctors and scientists that have studied dyslexia. Oswald Berkhan identified the condition back in 1881 but the disorder was not officially labeled as dyslexia until Rudolf Berlin did so in 1887. For many years dyslexia was labeled as congenital word blindness because there was such a fixation on individuals who were unable to comprehend written material. It was thought that the brain simply processed the information wrong and so when writing or reciting the information back, many words were omitted or simply switched around. In some instances of adult dyslexia that is the case. Since those early pioneers many other researchers have studied this disorder and discovered that it is more than just phonetics or alphabets that can have dyslexics stumped. Some, such as Galaburda and Kemper in 1979, discovered that the brains of dyslexics actually have anatomical differences. This helped show the world that it was not simply poor learning skills. It showed that there are actual physical differences that lead a person to being dyslexic.
Is there a cure for adult dyslexia?
Unfortunately there is no cure for adult dyslexia or dyslexia period. All a person can do is to understand how to manage their dyslexia and learn coping mechanisms to help them learn and function in society. There are numerous support groups that can help. Once the condition has been diagnosed and any underlying conditions addressed then treatment can begin.
Beth Kaminski is the co-author of Curing Your Anxiety And Panic Attacks which detailed treating panic disorder as well as tips on the various panic disorder medications available at anxietydisordercure.com.
Diseases, Conditions and Treatments • September 19th, 2009 •