Types of Dyslexia

 

Developmental vs. Acquired Dyslexia

2. Symptom-Based Subtypes (commonly overlapping):

⭐ Phonological Dyslexia

• The most common form.
• Difficulty mapping letters to sounds, breaking down words phonemically.
• Struggles with decoding unfamiliar or nonsense words verywellhealth.com+3neurohealthah.com+3neurohealthah.com+3.

⭐ Surface (Orthographic) Dyslexia

• Trouble recognizing whole words by sight, especially irregularly spelled ones (e.g. “yacht,” “colonel”) kathleendunbar.net+3en.wikipedia.org+3goodrx.com+3.

⭐ Rapid Naming Dyslexia (RAN)

• Slow retrieval of familiar symbols—e.g. letters, numbers, colors—affecting reading fluency goodrx.com+2verywellhealth.com+2kathleendunbar.net+2.

⭐ Double-Deficit Dyslexia

• Combination of phonological and rapid-naming difficulties.
• Often considered more severe en.wikipedia.org+14neurohealthah.com+14verywellhealth.com+14.

⭐ Visual Dyslexia

• Challenges with visual tracking and processing; text may appear blurred or jumbled .

⭐ Deep Dyslexia

• Typically acquired. Readers make semantic errors (e.g. reading "pup" as "dog") and struggle with non‑words kathleendunbar.net+5verywellhealth.com+5en.wikipedia.org+5.

---

3. Associated Learning Differences

Dyslexia often co-occurs with other learning profiles:

• Dysgraphia (writing/spelling struggles)
• Dyscalculia (math challenges)
• Auditory processing issues
• ADHD, dyspraxia, etc. arxiv.org+14kathleendunbar.net+14goodrx.com+14verywellhealth.com

---

Understanding the Categories

Category	Cause	Primary Features
Developmental	Genetic/brain development	Present from early childhood
Acquired (Alexia)	Brain injury or illness	Onset after past normal reading
Subtype	Symptom-based profiles	Focus on decoding, word recognition, and speed

---

🎯 Why It Matters

Pinpointing the specific subtype(s)—like phonological vs. surface vs. rapid naming—helps educators and clinicians tailor instruction (e.g., phonics-focused for phonological dyslexia, fluency drills for RAN dyslexia). Similarly, distinguishing acquired vs. developmental is crucial for rehabilitation strategies.

---

📚 Next Steps if You Suspect Dyslexia:

1.                       Comprehensive Evaluation: With a neuropsychologist, educational psychologist, or speech-language pathologist.

2.                       Structured Literacy Intervention: Tailored remediation (phonics, multisensory methods, etc.).

3.                       Supportive Strategies: Accommodations like extended time or audio support.

---

Bottom Line: Dyslexia isn’t a singular condition—it’s a constellation of reading challenges. Whether it’s phonological, surface, attention-related, or brain-injury-induced, the key is assessment and personalized support.