All parents want their children to succeed in school and beyond, so it can be difficult when a child has trouble learning to read. One disorder that could be the root cause of a child’s difficulty with reading is dyslexia. The disorder is getting more and more recognition as the science of reading is further explored. Dyslexia is a much more common disorder than once thought. Take our quiz and learn how to catch it early in your children and how to help your child overcome it to find success in school and beyond.
1. Which of the following is the definition of dyslexia?
A. A learning disorder that involves difficulty reading due to problems identifying speech sounds and learning how they relate to letters and words (decoding).
B. A type of eating disorder that affects cognition.
C. When a person never learns to read, even as an adult.
D. A specific visual problem that affects reading.
2. Which of the following is the cause of the reading disability known as dyslexia?
A. A problem with intelligence
B. Hearing issues
C. Individual differences in the areas of the brain that process language
D. Vision problems
3. True or false? Individuals with dyslexia “read backwards.”
4. True or false? Most children with dyslexia can succeed in school with tutoring or a specialized education program where they learn coping strategies.
5. Which of the following is a symptom of dyslexia that could be noticed before a child enters school?
A. Late talking and/or learning new words slowly
B. Problems forming words correctly, like reversing sounds in words or confusing words that sound similar
C. Difficulty with remembering or naming letters, numbers and colors
D. Problems learning nursery rhymes or playing rhyming games
E. All of the above
6. Which of the following is a symptom of dyslexia that would be revealed in school-age children?
A. Reading well below the expected level for age and/or spelling difficulties
B. Problems processing and understanding what is heard and/or in finding the right word or forming answers to questions
C. Problems remembering the sequence of things
D Difficulty seeing and/or hearing similarities and differences in letters and words, and/or the inability to sound out the pronunciation of an unfamiliar word
E. Spending an unusually long time completing tasks that involve reading or writing and avoiding activities that involve reading
F. All of the above
7. Which of the following is the percentage of the population that is believed to have symptoms of dyslexia?
A. 5% to 10%
B. 10% to 15%
C. 15% to 20%
D. 20% to 25%
8. True or false? Dyslexia can affect a child’s self-image, and they can end up feeling “dumb” and less capable than they actually are; these stressors can lead to academic problems, such as dropping out.
9. Which of the following should you NOT do if you suspect your child is struggling with dyslexia?
A. Speak with your child’s teacher to begin the process of screenings, evaluations, and creating a plan for instruction after diagnosis
B. Ignore it and hope your child “grows out of it”
C. Encourage your child to use audiobooks and computer programs that will read text aloud
D. Speak with your child’s doctor about your concerns to help rule out other problems of reading difficulties.
10. True or false? Early identification and treatment is the key to helping individuals with dyslexia achieve in school and in life because with the proper assistance, most people with dyslexia can learn to read and write well.
Compiled by ERIKA ALDRICH / Information from International Dyslexia Association and Mayo Clinic
ANSWERS:
- A. A learning disorder that involves difficulty reading
- C. Individual differences in the areas of the brain that process language
- False
- Those with dyslexia do not “read backwards”
- E. All of the above
- F. All of the above
- C. 15% to 20%
- True
- B. Do not ignore symptoms of dyslexia
- True