Dyslexia/Dyscalculia/Dysgraphia

What is Dyslexia?

Individuals with dyslexia have trouble reading, writing, spelling and math even though they have the ability and opportunities to learn. People with dyslexia are said to have a language learning difference.

Dyslexia Basics (International Dyslexia Association)

What is Dyscalculia?

Dyscalculia is a mathematical disability in which a person has a difficult time solving arithmetic problems and grasping math concepts.

What is Dysgraphia?

Dysgraphia is a writing disability in which a person finds it hard to form letters or write within a defined space.

What is an Auditory and Visual Processing Disability?

An auditory and visual processing disability is a sensory disability in which a person has difficulty understanding language despite normal hearing and vision.

Signs & Symptoms:

  • Difficulty learning the alphabet, nursery rhymes, or songs
  • Difficulty pronouncing words
  • Misreading or omitting common short words
  • Confusion with before/after, right/left, etc.
  • Weak memory for lists, directions, or facts
  • Difficulty remembering names of letters
  • Slow reading or "stumbling" through longer words
  • Many spelling mistakes
  • May consistently misunderstand what is being said
  • May be bothered by different frequencies of sound (i.e., music, vacuums, loud noises) or may be overly sensitive to sound
  • May have difficulty in differentiating sounds that occur simultaneously
  • May reverse numbers
  • May have difficulty with time, sequencing, and problem solving

Causes and Other Illnesses:

  • Current research indicates that individuals with learning disabilities are at a greater risk to experience substance abuse, suicide, depression, and significant psychiatric problems compared with the general public.
  • 30-50% of all individuals with learning disabilities also have attention deficit disorder (ADD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
  • Emerging research indicates a higher incidence of learning disabilities in both urban and rural areas, which is linked to environmental factors such as lead poisoning and poor pre-natal care.

Sources: The International Dyslexia Association (2008); Learning Disabilities Association of Western New York (2007)