Dyslexia is a brain-based type of learning disability that specifically impairs a person's ability to read. Individuals who are affected by this learning disability typically read at levels significantly lower than expected despite having normal intelligence. Although the disorder varies from person to person, common characteristics among people with dyslexia are difficulty with sounds of letters, spelling, and rapid visual-verbal responding. In individuals with adult onset of dyslexia, it usually occurs as a result of brain injury or in the context of dementia; this contrasts with individuals with dyslexia who simply were never identified as children or adolescents. Dyslexia is inherited in some families, and recent studies have identified a number of genes that may predispose an individual to developing dyslexia.

Treatment for dyslexia consists of using various educational tools to enhance the ability for the affected person to read. Medicines and counseling are not an effective method of treating dyslexia. Gathering information about the disorder and learning the facts is vital in a person overcoming the dyslexia. The earlier it is recognized and addressed the less effects there are later in life. Starting treatment when a child is young can improve reading and may even prevent reading problems in the first years of school. However, for a person with dyslexia, reading is never an easy task.

For many school-aged children with the disorder work is harder and teachers often perceive them as lazy due to their inability to keep up with the rest of the class. There are many tests that schools may give to determine if a child is dyslexic. Once a child is diagnosed with the disorder, there are many ways to help them keep up with the rest of the class. Although, there is no permanent cure for dyslexia, it does not mean that a person cannot read and write, however it may always seem more difficult for them than others.