Reading disability

A reading disability is a condition in which a sufferer displays difficulty reading resulting primarily from neurological factors. Developmental Dyslexia, Alexia (acquired dyslexia), and Hyperlexia.

Definition
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke defines reading disability or dyslexia as follows: "Dyslexia is a brain-based type of learning disability that specifically impairs a person's ability to read. These individuals typically read at levels significantly lower than expected despite having normal intelligence. Although the disorder varies from person to person, common characteristics among people with dyslexia are difficulty with spelling, phonological processing (the manipulation of sounds), and/or rapid visual-verbal responding. In adults, dyslexia usually occurs after a brain injury or in the context of dementia. It can also be inherited in some families, and recent studies have identified a number of genes that may predispose an individual to developing dyslexia."

Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a learning disability that manifests itself as a difficulty with reading decoding, reading comprehension and/or reading fluency. It is separate and distinct from reading difficulties resulting from other causes, such as a non-neurological deficiency with vision or hearing, or from poor or inadequate reading instruction. It is estimated that dyslexia affects between 5-17% of the population. Dyslexia has been proposed to have three cognitive subtypes: auditory, visual and attentional. Although not an intellectual disability, it is considered both a learning disability and a reading disability. Dyslexia and IQ are not interrelated, since reading and cognition develop independently in individuals who have dyslexia.

Skeptics

Dr. Diane McGuinness appears to be one researcher who feels that dyslexia is over-diagnosed. She argues that dyslexia is not a biological condition but a socially-created problem that results from a complex spelling code (English) and ineffective teaching methods. As part of her argument she cites that fact that dyslexia is not nearly as common in languages that are not as complex as English. The solution is an effective method of teaching reading, namely Synthetic Phonics.

Hyperlexia
Hyperlexic children are characterized by having average or above average IQs and word-reading ability well above what would be expected given their ages and IQs. Hyperlexia can be viewed as a superability in which word recognition ability goes far above expected levels of skill. Some hyperlexics, however, have trouble understanding speech. Most or perhaps all children with hyperlexia lie on the autism spectrum. Between 5-10% of autistic children have been estimated to be hyperlexic.