Dyslexia erased: where did it go?

This year marks the 10th anniversary when Dyslexia "disappeared". So where did it go?

If you casually flip through the 947 pages of the DSM-V (the psychiatric Bible that guides the identification of disorders and disabilities), you’ll come across a surprising amount of old and new psychological conditions. Stalwarts like arachnophobia, personality disorder, and social anxiety were joined by newcomers caffeine withdrawal disorder and restless legs syndrome. But if you flip through to the “D’s”, you’ll notice there is one omission: Dyslexia.

A new home

You might be wondering how dyslexia - a term synonymous with reading and writing difficulties - has been omitted from the DSM-5, and you’re not alone. Reading and writing difficulties were brought under the umbrella term “specific learning disorder”. This means that if a child has difficulties with these skills, but has at least an overall average general ability, they might be identified as having a specific learning disability (SLD). SLD is a type of neurodevelopment (brain) disorder that impedes specific academic skill success, including reading, writing, and math, each of which is foundational for most other academic skills. It is worth noting that "dyslexia" gets a mention as a historically used term.

Dyslexia and intelligence

It is important for educators and families to remember that dyslexia does not mean someone has a low IQ. In fact, most individuals with dyslexia go on to become successful in their family and career.

Further information

Families around the world find it difficult to navigate the education systems we have created, especially when it involves undergoing an evaluation for a possible learning difficulty of some kind. More than 1,000 families and educators have enjoyed our fun, interactive “Defining Dyslexia” workshop. If you would like further information, clarity, and understanding around dyslexia, contact Legacy Education today and we will be glad to provide a training for your organization, school, or family.

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