Printed letters represent the sounds of speech. Dyslexia is not a developmental lag. It is persistent and chronic. First family history, confusion of words that sound alike, word-finding difficulty with indexes and dictionaries, inaccurate and stressful oral reading, comprehension superior to reading skills, and slow performance on timed reading tests or multiple choice tests. Bright dyslexics learn to use the context to guess the hard words.
Diagnosis is rare before the third grade or age of nine.
Dyslexics need to become aware of phonemes by blending sounds into words or breaking down spoken words into sounds. Various types of optometric training, medicines for balance, colored lenses, chiropractic manipulation, and dietary supplements have failed to provide credible data. There is no substitute for direct remedial instruction in reading. Like my wife, many dyslexics have managed to carve out challenging careers in a range of disciplines. Spelling errors and lack of reading fluency have plagued Jeanne throughout her life.