Characteristic Problems of Dyslexia
Dyslexics may excel in some areas of academic or public life such as
public speaking, running a business, art, maths, music, drama, design
or sports, while being deficient in other areas.
Dyslexics may show some of these problems listed below:
- Has a high IQ, yet does not score high on school tests.
- Feels dumb or stupid; has poor self-esteem; is anxious or
withdrawn; hides or covers up weaknesses with coping mechanisms.
- Is easily frustrated and emotional about school, reading or
testing.
- Seems to "check out" or daydreams often; gets lost
easily or loses track of time.
- Learns best through hands-on experience, demonstrations,
experimentation, observation and visual aids.
- Complains of dizziness, nausea, headaches or stomach aches
while reading or studying.
- Reads or writes with additions, omissions, substitutions,
repetition, reversals or transpositions of letters, numbers or words.
- Complains of feeling or seeing non-existent movement while reading,
writing or counting.
- Has difficulty putting thoughts into words; speaks in halting
phrases; leaves sentences incomplete; stutters under stress.
- Mispronounces long words; transposes phrases, words and
syllables when speaking.
- Is clumsy, uncoordinated or poor at ball or team sports;
has difficulty with motor skills and tasks, suffers from motion sickness.
- Often confuses left/right and over/under.
- Has difficulty telling time, being on time, learning sequences of
information or tasks, or setting priorities.
- Can do arithmetic, but fails word problems; cannot grasp algebra
or higher maths.
- Uses sophisticated avoidance strategies; gets other people to
do things for them, such as filling in forms, reading documents for them, etc.
- Has difficulty in learning new ways of doing old tasks.
©1987 Ronald D. Davis, ©2001 Dyslexia Correction Centre, All rights reserved.