How to identify dyslexia in children and adults?

Detecting and assessing dyslexia involves understanding its cognitive profile from a clinical and developmental perspective. It is not just a specific difficulty with reading or writing, but a neurodevelopmental disorder with manifestations that vary according to age. Neuropsychological assessment allows us to identify the altered processes and design interventions tailored to the actual functioning of each person assessed. This approach allows not only for a more accurate diagnosis, but also for a more specific intervention geared toward everyday functionality.

What is the cognitive profile in dyslexia and what are its characteristics?

The cognitive profile in dyslexia consists of a set of altered, preserved, or compensated functions that affect learning to read and write. Below, we will look at its main components.

Core deficits

The most characteristic deficits affect phonological processing. The following are common:

• Difficulty in grapheme-phoneme conversion.
• Poor verbal working memory.
• Slow, poorly automated reading.
• Spelling errors in irregular words.

These factors explain most of the functional errors and tend to remain stable throughout development. In many cases, these difficulties persist even with conventional teaching, requiring methodological adaptations and specific interventions.

Preserved or enhanced areas

Not all aspects of the profile are deficient. Many people evaluated show:

• Efficient nonverbal reasoning.
• Good visuospatial skills.
• High creativity in nonlinguistic tasks.

These abilities can serve as compensatory support in educational or work contexts.

How to detect and diagnose dyslexia in children and adults?

Detecting dyslexia requires a clinically sensitive approach to development. It is essential to identify both observable symptoms and underlying cognitive mechanisms.

Warning signs according to developmental stages

Indicators vary with age:

• In preschool: delayed language, difficulty with rhymes, and confusion of sounds.
• In elementary school: frequent errors, syllabic reading, or poor reading performance.
• In adolescents and adults: slowness, persistent spelling errors, and avoidance of written tasks.

These signs must be contextualized within the academic and functional history of the person being evaluated. In addition, it is important to consider the educational and family environment, as these directly influence the manifestation and compensation of difficulties.

Diagnosis of cognitive profile in dyslexia

To diagnose dyslexia in adults or children, the following must be assessed:

• Reading fluency and accuracy.
• Phonological processing.
• Verbal memory and processing speed.
• Attention and executive functions, in cases of suspected comorbidity.

Computerized or virtual reality neuropsychological tests allow these processes to be measured in a standardized and functional way. These tools not only allow for the accurate collection of objective data, but also improve the collaboration of the person being evaluated and reduce observer bias.

Neuropsychological functions involved in dyslexia

Dyslexia affects the reading system, but also other interrelated cognitive processes. Evaluating them allows for a better understanding of actual performance and possible external interference. Among the most compromised functions are:

• Sustained and selective attention.
• Verbal working memory.
• Processing speed.
• Inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility.

These functions should be analyzed especially in cases with low overall performance or atypical symptoms.

Strategies for assessing dyslexia

Strategies for dyslexia in the clinical context focus on identifying the specific processes involved in each case. It is not just a matter of assessing reading or writing, but of understanding which cognitive components are impaired: phonological processing, verbal memory, reading speed, or visuospatial integration. An effective assessment combines clinical observation with standardized batteries that allow specific profiles to be identified. In recent years, computerized tools and virtual environments have been incorporated that improve ecological validity and allow performance to be measured in a more functional way, in more natural and controlled contexts. This is especially useful when dyslexia coexists with other neurodevelopmental disorders, as it facilitates differential diagnosis and the planning of appropriate support systems.

References:

• Boada, R., Willcutt, E. G., & Pennington, B. F. (2012). Understanding the comorbidity between dyslexia and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Topics in Language Disorders, 32(3), 264–284. https://journals.lww.com/topicsinlanguagedisorders/abstract/2012/07000/understanding_the_comorbidity_between_dyslexia_and.7.aspx
• Carrillo, M. S., Alegría, J., Miranda, P., & Pérez, N. (2009). Evaluación de la dislexia en la escuela primaria: Prevalencia en español. Escritos de Psicología, 4(2), 35-44.
• Benítez-Burraco, A. (2009). Dislexias evolutivas: qué pueden decirnos la neurología y la genética al respecto. Revista de Logopedia, Foniatría y Audiología, 29(2), 104–114.
• Bishop, D. V. M., & Snowling, M. J. (2004). Developmental dyslexia and specific language impairment: Same or different? Psychological Bulletin, 130(6), 858–886. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.130.6.858