Learning difficulties and disabilities affect a large proportion of children, as well as many adults. It is estimated that approximately fourteen per cent of the population may suffer from some sort of learning difficulty. While the severity of these learning difficulties can vary, some of them have the potential to have a profound impact on a persons future and their life achievements. Dyslexia is one such condition. Dyslexia is quite common, and is especially prevalent among boys. Someone who has dyslexia may have difficulties reading and writing. They may also have difficulties with organization and self expression. However, there are many different degrees of dyslexia. Some individuals may have little difficulty at school or work, while others may struggle to learn even basic reading and writing schools. In addition, dyslexia can often be confused with other learning disabilities. For this reason testing for dyslexia is very important.
Testing for dyslexia can take a number of different forms. Some people may take informal tests in order to see whether they may be suffering to dyslexia. Others may present to their doctor or a psychiatrist or other professional to be professionally tested. Testing for dyslexia often involves an IQ test, reading and writing tests, and other tests that demonstrate whether reading and writing ability is impaired. These tests often take several hours to complete, and may be completed over several days. Younger children may be asked to complete a different series of tests depending on their skills and abilities.
Many people feel uncomfortable about testing for dyslexia. They worry that a positive diagnosis of dyslexia will mean that they are disabled, or that they wont be considered intelligent. This is not true. Dyslexia has no correlation with intelligence. Many highly successful and intelligent people are dyslexic. Testing for dyslexia can simply offer a person a way to learn how to change their habits in order to get around their dyslexia. If they are a student, they may be able to negotiate to complete their projects in oral format rather than a written format. They may be able to undergo special tutoring programs to help with their reading and writing. Dyslexia is not a life sentence, and in no way means that an individual is stupid. A diagnosis of dyslexia can open up many opportunities for dyslexics. For example, many dyslexics will pursue careers in maths and science because they find English and the humanities a struggle. Knowing that they are dyslexic can encourage these people to pursue the subjects they find hard, and to find a workaround that will make the subjects easier for them to manage.
If you suspect that you or a loved one may be dyslexic, consider having them tested for dyslexia. This process can help find out if there are any problems that may need to be resolved. It can offer them better outcomes and opportunities to improve their learning and skills through specialist programs. If you are diagnosed with dyslexia, you should be proactive about it, and use your diagnosis to your advantage. Now that you know what you struggle with, you may be able to find a way around it.