Fact · Accessibility and health
A 2018 review defines dyslexia as a difficulty with word-level reading and spelling skills, which it says are in turn caused by phonological deficits.
Checked against its source on October 16, 2026
In the source's own words
“dyslexia is defined as a difficulty with word level reading and spelling skills, which are in turn caused by phonological deficits”
Understanding Dyslexia in the Context of Developmental Language Disorders, Suzanne M. Adlof, Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools (ASHA), 2018, Article text.
Open the original (DOI 10.1044/2018_LSHSS-DYSLC-18-0049)- What it measures
- The review uses this definition to frame dyslexia as a language-based disorder centred on the sound structure of words.
- What it does not show
- This is one review's definition. Other definitions emphasize different features, and the review says that being a good reader in context can mask word-level difficulty.