The Prevalence of Dyslexia

• 15-20% of the population, or about 1 in every 5 students, struggles to acquire basic reading skills. Dyslexia is the most common cause of reading, writing, and spelling difficulties. (NICHD, population-based, epidemiological longitudinal studies)
• Dyslexia is hereditary. Children with a sibling, parent, or other close relative with dyslexia have a 50% chance of being dyslexic. (Nadine Gaab at Harvard Medical School and Harvard Graduate School of Education)
• Dyslexia affects 80% to 90% of all individuals with a learning disability. S Res. 576 – 114th Congress (2015-2016)
• 74% of children who display reading problems in the third grade will remain poor readers into adulthood unless they receive systematic, explicit instruction in reading and phonological awareness.” (What Brain Research Reveals About Reading)

With more and more states passing dyslexia legislation, it appears that the topic of dyslexia is making its way into our educational system more and more. Sheldon Berman and Sarah B. Stetson recently wrote a piece addressing the prevalence of dyslexia and the misunderstandings often associated with it. Check out their piece Dyslexia: Hiding in Plain Sight.