Symptoms of dyslexia vary depending on age, with some young children experiencing late speech, difficulty learning new words, and trouble with rhyming games. These and other symptoms of dyslexia often become more apparent once a child starts school. These children may read below the expected level for their age and have difficulty forming sentences and finding the right words. Because of an inability to sound out words or pronounce unfamiliar words, some children avoid reading out loud. If left untreated, dyslexia can affect an individual’s ability to meet their full potential at work or school, says Kimberly R. Freeman, PhD, the executive associate chair of social work and social ecology at Loma Linda University in San Bernardino, California. Reading specialists and psychologists can help identify the specific dyslexia challenges an individual has. No institution has created an official, diagnostic list of dyslexia subtypes, and some experts believe there aren’t “types” of dyslexia so much as a continuum or spectrum of various cognitive issues. While research is ongoing, other experts contend that the four subtypes outlined below are the most common. Surface dyslexia is sometimes referred to as visual dyslexia because individuals with this condition have difficulty recognizing words by sight. It’s important to keep in mind, though, that dyslexia doesn’t usually involve a problem with vision or eyesight — it’s caused by a difference in the way a person’s brain recognizes letters, numbers, and words. It’s also important to note that problems with vision can sometimes mimic dyslexia, so specialists and physicians will aim to rule out a number of other factors before making a dyslexia diagnosis. It may take longer for the person’s brain to process the information, which may lead to slower reading times. (2) The two types that frequently appear together are phonological dyslexia and rapid naming deficit dyslexia. When a person has both of these, it’s often referred to as double deficit dyslexia. (6)
What Other Learning Disabilities May Occur With Dyslexia?
There are several learning disabilities that may occur with dyslexia that are not dyslexia. For example, a person may be diagnosed with dyslexia, but also have:
Dyscalculia, or difficulty with mathDysgraphia, or difficulty writingLeft-right disorder, or trouble telling left from right
Scientists are still trying to determine what causes these disorders, but research suggests that, at least in some cases, they may be neurological in origin. (2,7,8) Symptoms can vary, but in many cases a person may have difficulty remembering and organizing numbers, or they may have trouble telling time. As with dyslexia, individuals may avoid situations where math may be involved. Other symptoms may include difficulty with: (2,10)
Word problemsCarrying and borrowing numbersManaging moneyUnderstanding quantityUnderstanding positive and negative valuesUnderstanding time (such as days of the week)Understanding charts and graphs
Recognizing symptoms of dyscalculia can be difficult because many children and adults have a hard time with math. But as a parent or teacher, there are specific signs you can look for depending on a child’s age. For example, a preschooler who has symptoms of dyscalculia may have trouble counting, or they may not grasp the concept of counting, according to the nonprofit organization Understood for All. (11) In grade school, signs of dyscalculia may include an inability to recall basic math. For example, a child may have difficulty grasping the concept that 2 + 2 = 4. (11) Or an older child may still use their fingers to count when figuring out simple math problems like the above. (11)
Inconsistent spacing of letters and wordsMissing or transposed lettersMissing wordsOdd spellingsDifferently shaped or sized lettersIllegibility
According to Understood, it’s frequently related to other learning difficulties, such as: (13)
DyslexiaDyscalculiaDysgraphiaNonverbal learning disabilities, which affect physical coordination, social interaction, and executive functioning (14)
