Adult Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a reading disorder that is characterized by struggles with accurate and/or fluent word recognition, poor spelling, and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language. The reading difficulties experienced by an individual with dyslexia are unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities.
Individuals identified as having dyslexia typically experience primary difficulties in phonological awareness, including phonemic awareness and manipulation, single-word reading, reading fluency, and spelling. Consequences may include difficulties in reading comprehension and/or written expression. Again, these difficulties in phonological awareness are unexpected for the person’s age and educational level. Additionally, there is often a family history of similar difficulties.
The symptoms of dyslexia can look much different in an adult than in a child. Oftentimes, adults have developed compensatory strategies that may mask some of the more basic symptoms.
Common symptoms or characteristics of dyslexia in adults include:
Difficulty reading unfamiliar fonts.
Avoids reading out loud. May dislike public speaking.
Will commonly perceive that they “read better silently.”
Has poor or inconsistent/phonetic spelling.
Reading fluency and comprehension fluctuates depending upon subject matter.
Frequently has to re-read sentences in order to comprehend.
Fatigues or becomes bored quickly while reading.
Reliance on others (assistants, spouses, significant others) for written correspondence.
Uncertainty with words, punctuation, and spelling when writing. Reliance on spell-check and grammar-check.
Words out of context look “wrong.”
Poor handwriting – masks spelling mistakes.
Diagnostic Learning offers specific evaluations to assess adults for dyslexia. In addition, we will use the findings of the assessment to make relevant recommendations for both work and home. Call today for more information about how we assess and diagnose dyslexia.
