Dyslexia
(Learning Disorders: Reading)

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Medical Author:

Neelkamal S Soares, MD, MBBS, FAAP

Medical Editor:

Elizabeth A Finley-Belgrad, MD

Medical Editor:

Mary L Windle, PharmD

Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

View Full Profile

• Reading Skill Overview
• Learning Disability Overview
• Dyslexia (Reading Disorder) Overview
• Dyslexia Symptoms and Signs
• Comorbidity
• Dyslexia Diagnosis
• Role of the Healthcare Professional
• Dyslexia Intervention
• Phonics vs Whole-Word Teaching
• Accommodations for Dyslexia
• Next Steps
• Parental Support
• Conclusion
• Famous People with Learning Disabilities
• For More Information
• Web Links
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Authors and Editors
• Read more on Dyslexia from Healthwise
• Viewer Comments: Dyslexia (Reading Disorder) - Describe Your Symptoms

Reading Skill Overview

Reading is a complicated process, involving recognition of symbols of language in a printed form. It is not an innate skill, but rather must be learned. Written words bear no meaning until the reader constructs meaning by making inferences and interpretations.

Acquisition of reading skills is closely tied to development of language in children. The ability to break down words into individual sounds or phonemes, is the core skill that needs to be mastered in order to be a fluent reader. This is called "phonemic awareness." For example, in reading the word "CAT," one must be aware of its component graphemes, and then break it down into the phonemes C/Ah/T. Then one must blend the phonemes back into the spoken word "CAT" which is then produced. This process is called "decoding." It sounds complicated, and it is. Yet most children with access to instruction and in the absence of sensory or other neurological deficits master this skill easily.

But for about 10-15% of children, this basic process is impaired often leading to lifelong struggles with reading. These are individuals with the learning disability called "Reading Disorder." It is also popularly known as dyslexia.