What is Dyslexia? and Why Dyslexia Testing?
Exactly what is dyslexia? There is a fair amount of confusion over this because the term “dyslexia” actually has two meanings.
The two principal definitions of dyslexia are the strict constructionist “academic” definition and the common usage definition of people who have friends or family members with dyslexia. The strict definition comes from the word dyslexia itself. It means problems with reading, and so that is a literal definition. But dyslexia-type problems of perception and association extend far beyond just reading to pronouncing new words, going from the spoken word to its correct spelling and many other similar associations.
How many people have dyslexia? And how can you tell if you are dyslexic or not?
Approximately ten to fifteen per cent of the entire population has some form of dyslexia. All are different and affected to different degrees. If you have problems with reading or spelling or reading aloud, these are symptoms of dyslexia. The only way to know if your are dyslexic is by way of dyslexia testing.
There are two general kinds of dyslexia testing. These are screening tests and full professional tests. Screening tests are given to large groups of people to screen out those who have enough probable symptoms to justify the full test.
Full dyslexia testing is done by or monitored by a qualified professional. Its goal is to identify possible different types of dyslexia and measure the severity of each one.
In the last few months a highly accurate professional test has been tested and is now available online. This means you can take a home dyslexia test from the privacy of your office or home.
95% of adult dyslexics have never been tested and are unaware that dyslexia is what makes them “different” and causes them problems. Once tested, the restrictions that plague dyslexics can easily be overcome. A whole new world opens up to them after dyslexia testing.
Disclaimer: This posting is based on information freely available in the popular press and medical journals that deal with dyslexia. Nothing herein is intended to be or should be construed to be medical advice. For medical advice the reader should consult with his or her physician or other medical specialist.
By – John R. Olsen
This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 30th, 2009 at 4:38 am and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.