DYSLEXIA: A COMMON LEARNING DISABILITY

The mission of the National Center for Learning Disabilities (http://www.LD.org) is to increase opportunities for all individuals with learning disabilities (LD) to achieve their potential, and to provide solutions to help them participate fully in society.

(PRWEB) November 5, 2003 --There is a good chance you know someone who struggles with reading. Approximately 15% of the overall United States population has significant difficulty learning to read, according to statistics from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and dyslexia is very often a major factor.

Dyslexia is a life-long language processing disorder that hinders the development of oral and written language skills. Children and adults with dyslexia can be highly intelligent; however they have a neurological disorder that causes the brain to process and interpret information differently. Since so much of what happens in a classroom is based on reading and writing, its extremely important to identify dyslexia as early as possible and devise strategies to help a child succeed academically.

Dyslexia is frequently characterized by difficulties with word recognition and difficulty in assigning correct sounds to letters, both when the letters are by themselves and when they are combined to form words," says James Wendorf, Executive Director of the National Center for Learning Disabilities. Poor spelling is another common sign, as is difficulty with sequential information -- how to count change, for example -- and other basic math skills."

Wendorf says dyslexia can also make it difficult for people, especially young people, to express themselves clearly. It can be challenging for them to use vocabulary and to structure their thoughts during conversation. Others struggle to understand when people are speaking to them, not because they dont hear, but because of their difficulty processing verbal information.

Dyslexia is not a disease, but recognizing the condition early in an individuals life is a key factor in how much the learning disability will affect a persons development. With help from tutors, teachers, or other trained professionals, almost all people with dyslexia can become good readers and writers. Early exposure to oral reading, however, along with practice in writing, and exercises that encourage development of print knowledge, basic letter formation and recognition, and linguistic awareness (the relationship between sound and meaning) are extremely important in overcoming the condition.

Many individuals with dyslexia have succeeded in many diverse fields. Among some of the well-known people who have dyslexia are former governors, Thomas Kean, of New Jersey, and Gaston Caperton, of Virginia, both NCLD Board members. Others include David Boies, a trial lawyer with many high-profile corporate and political clients; Charles Schwab, founder of the Schwab discount brokerage firm; Richard Branson, founder and CEO of Virgin Atlantic Airways and Virgin Records; and John Chambers, President and CEO of Cisco Systems, and an honoree at NCLDs 2002 Annual Benefit. Entertainment icons with dyslexia include Whoopi Goldberg; Tom Cruise; Henry Winkler (who will be honored at NCLDs 2004 Annual Benefit); and Stephen J. Cannell, author and Emmy Award-winning TV producer of such shows as The Rockford Files and The A Team.

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Additional information about dyslexia and other learning disabilities is available from NCLD by visiting http://www.ld.org.