| There is not a lot of information readily available on | | | | heartbreak and isolation felt by a child who could |
| dyslexia statistics, but through some careful | | | | benefit from a proper diagnosis and treatment. |
| extrapolation of other statistics, there are some | | | | Dyslexia statistics show that roughly 40% of boys and |
| startling conclusions that can be drawn. | | | | 20% of girls with a dyslexic parent have dyslexia. This |
| It is important to note, that with dyslexia, there is a wide | | | | information is not generally known to parents. Factor in |
| baseline. It is estimated that between 5% and 15% of | | | | a parent who themselves were not diagnosed and this |
| all people in North America have some form of | | | | becomes critical information for everyone. |
| dyslexia. That may not look like a very wide range, but | | | | Further complicating identification of children with |
| when you factor in the US population being a little over | | | | dyslexia is emerging evidence that suggests 20% to |
| 300 million people, that is a difference of 15 to 45 million | | | | 55% of dyslexics also suffer from attention deficit |
| people with the disorder. For argument's sake, this | | | | hyperactivity disorder as well. Treating one will not |
| article will use the mean of that statistic and we will | | | | solve the other, but often these children receive |
| estimate 30 million people have dyslexia in varying | | | | treatment for ADHD only, as it more easily identified. |
| degrees. To further put this into perspective, that is | | | | The hardest thing about compiling dyslexia statistics is |
| roughly the population of Texas and Tennessee—or | | | | simply that all the available resources are scattered |
| five times the population of Wisconsin. | | | | and not really compared to other disorders. It's not so |
| Compared to other known neurological conditions in | | | | much that no one cares, it's mainly that there are no |
| the United States, statistics indicate that the rate of | | | | real obvious signs of dyslexia. Dyslexia isn't |
| dyslexia in the US population is higher than autism (2 | | | | "glamorous" or even noticeable in the child until they |
| million) and ADHD combined (27 million). Yet, it seems | | | | begin to read, write or do simple arithmetic. Even then |
| like dyslexia awareness is not proportionate to these | | | | it's easier to make assumptions or throw them into a |
| numbers and does not receive the research funding | | | | generalized learning disability program. No one sends a |
| that is warranted by these statistics. | | | | blind child to a school for the deaf—why would |
| This is telling, as a little under 50% of all parents wait | | | | anyone assume sending a child with dyslexia to a |
| for a year or more to have their child tested for | | | | class specializing in other disorders is acceptable? |
| dyslexia. That is one more year of frustration, | | | | |