Reading and literacy
Conditions that may affect reading.
Reading disabilities
Each of us learns to read at our own pace. The journey involved in learning to read (and continuing to develop as a confident and enthusiastic reader) is often a bumpy one.
However, some people have more serious difficulty with the process than others; in some cases, there are specific reasons why a child is having trouble with reading – and additional/alternative forms of help may be needed.
Serious reading difficulties or disabilities can affect anyone, including children who are extremely intelligent, motivated and educated.
When does a reading difficulty constitute a 'reading disability'?
There are many reasons why a child may have difficulty reading or learning to read. Sometimes a specific disability or disorder may affect a child's reading, either mildly or severely.
In general the term 'reading disability' is used to describe any condition that affects certain parts of the brain which are responsible for making sense of words and/or sounds.
This is different from a 'learning disability' (like dyslexia) - although most learning disabilities will also in turn affect the person's ability to learn to read.
There are also other disabilities or conditions which may affect a child's reading.
This site goes on to look at some of the most common reasons why a child may have difficulty reading.
What can affect someone's ability to learn to read?
Where a child (or adult) has difficulty reading, it is important to try to identify the reason/s as early as possible, as the sort of help that is needed differs dramatically, and evidence suggests that early intervention is key.
For example, the kind of help which a child needs to overcome problems in making sense of the sounds generated by letters or letter combinations is very different from that needed by a child who has 'visual' problems reading.
Some of the most common disabilities that affect learning to read include:
- Dyslexia
- Speech and Language Disorders
- Processing Problems
- Developmental disabilities
- Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD)
- Getting help
- Visual impairment
