Typically, dyslexia manifests as having difficulty with reading and spelling, because the part of the brain that processes language formed differently in those with dyslexia than in the general population. Dyslexia is genetic and should be thought of as a spectrum, not all people with dyslexia are affected the same way by it. Some dyslexics are able to read equal or better than their age peers are and may even enjoy reading, their dyslexia either is less serve or manifests in a different manner. Dyslexia is lifelong with most treatments centered on changing a dyslexics’ education best to suit them and then to build coping mechanisms around reading and writing.

Common Symptoms of Dyslexia

The severity of dyslexia is different for different individuals, this is dependent on age, education, and how their dyslexia manifested. Here are just a small sample of dyslexia symptoms;

• Slow reading and difficulty decoding words including become fatigued when reading.
• Does not connect letters with sounds.
• Word substitution.
• Word misspellings.
• Issues with word retrieval.
• Has issues remembering lists, such as grocery list, or dates and names. 

Sources:

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes

The Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity: What is Dyslexia?

The Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity: Signs of Dyslexia

• Dyslexia is the most common disability in the U.S.
• About 20% of the population has dyslexia making dyslexia the cause of about 80-90% of learning disabilitiy.
• Dyslexia also affects about 30% of people with ADHD
• Dyslexia can run in families.

Sources:

International Dyslexia Association: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) and Dyslexia

The Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity: What is Dyslexia?

According to the Mayo Clinic, there is no single test for dyslexia. Instead, multiple factors are taken into account such as neurological testing, family history, a patient’s academic history, reading testing, psychological testing, and questionnaires relating to reading and language ability.