Dyslexia generally affects 1 in 10 people, many may remain undiagnosed and receive little or no intervention. Dyslexia can be a hidden disability for individuals who have never been diagnosed, this may result in underemployment, difficulty in academic environments and low self-confidence. Even when diagnosed, many struggle with reading or writing in some aspects of their lives. Dyslexia is a reading disorder and does not reflect low intelligence. There are many bright and creative individuals with dyslexia who never learn to read and write at a level consistent with their intellectual ability. Could you have dyslexia? Do you show any of the below signs or symptoms? * Do you read slowly? * Did you have trouble learning how to read when you were in school? * Do you often have to read something two or three times before it makes sense? * Are you uncomfortable reading out loud? * Do you omit, transpose, or add letters when you are reading or writing? * Do you find you still have spelling mistakes in your writing even after Spell Check?
* Do you find it difficult to pronounce uncommon multi-syllable words when you are reading?
* Do you choose to read magazines or short articles rather than longer books and novels? * When you were in school, did you find it extremely difficult to learn a foreign language?
* Do you avoid work projects or courses that require extensive reading? If you answered yes to 7 or more of these questions, you may have dyslexia. Consider seeking a specialist or formal diagnostic assessment from a qualified examiner.
Linda Lawson
