Developmental vs Acquired Dyslexia
ICD-11 is the World Health Organization's list of medical codes. In it, acquired dyslexia is the loss of reading a person already had. ICD-11 names a stroke or other brain injury as example causes. To us, the developmental kind is about learning to read, not losing it. Our position is that a lost skill goes to a doctor first.
TL;DR
- ICD-11 is the World Health Organization's list of medical codes. It keeps two kinds of dyslexia apart. In ICD-11, acquired dyslexia is the loss of reading a person already had. ICD-11's description says this loss usually comes in adulthood. ICD-11 names a stroke or other brain injury as example causes.
- ICD-11 is the World Health Organization's list of medical codes. ICD-11 files "developmental dyslexia" under a code for serious, lasting trouble learning to read. That code covers reading words correctly, reading smoothly, and understanding what is read. To us, the developmental kind is about learning to read, not losing it.
- ICD-11 is the World Health Organization's list of medical codes. In ICD-11, "developmental alexia" is filed with developmental dyslexia. ICD-11's code for lost reading names dyslexia and alexia together. In our view, neither word on its own tells you which kind is meant.
- Our position is that reading lost after a brain injury goes to a doctor.
- Some children find learning to read hard. Find which job of reading is going wrong, and work on that one. The exception is a skill that was there and has gone. Our position is that a lost skill goes to a doctor first, not a tutor. We cannot tell you why a skill was lost.
Acquired dyslexia is a loss of reading in someone who could read before. That is its meaning in the World Health Organization's list of medical codes.
”Acquired dyslexiaTwo meanings, one word
ICD-11 is the World Health Organization's list of medical codes. It keeps two kinds of dyslexia apart. ICD-11 files "developmental dyslexia" under a code for serious, lasting trouble learning to read. That code covers reading words correctly, reading smoothly, and understanding what is read. To us, the developmental kind is about learning to read, not losing it.
In ICD-11, acquired dyslexia is the loss of reading a person already had. ICD-11's description says this loss usually comes in adulthood. ICD-11 names a stroke or other brain injury as example causes.
After a stroke or brain injury
Our position is that reading lost after a brain injury goes to a doctor.
Alexia and dyslexia
ICD-11 is the World Health Organization's list of medical codes. In ICD-11, "developmental alexia" is filed with developmental dyslexia. ICD-11's code for lost reading names dyslexia and alexia together. In our view, neither word on its own tells you which kind is meant.
When a child loses a reading skill
Some children could do something and now cannot. That is different from a child who has not built the skill yet. Our position is that a lost skill goes to a doctor first. In our view, make that appointment soon. We cannot tell you why a skill was lost, or what to call the loss. Tell the doctor what your child could read before, and what changed.
What helps a child who finds learning to read hard
Reading improves with reading instruction.
Find which job of reading is going wrong, and work on that one. The exception is a skill that was there and has gone. Our position is that a lost skill goes to a doctor first, not a tutor.
Have hearing and vision checked too. A child who cannot hear well needs that found. So does a child who cannot see the print clearly.
When to ask for help
Each of these is a reason to ask for help on its own.
- Little change, even with steady practice and good teaching.
- Reading well below what school expects.
- A teacher who raises a concern about reading.
- Extreme upset about reading.
- Complete avoidance of reading.
- Hopelessness about learning.
- Sadness or worry that lasts.
- Significant delays in speech, language or motor development.
- A skill that was there and has gone. Our position is that a lost skill goes to a doctor first, not a tutor.
If no skill has gone, start with the teacher. Say what you are seeing at home, and what you have tried. Beyond the teacher, the right person depends on what it turns out to be about. If the work is too hard, someone who works on that school skill. If worry or mood is the thing, someone who works with children's mental health. In our view, delays in speech, language or movement are worth raising with your child's doctor. In our view, if you are worried enough to ask, a professional evaluation is worth asking about.
Any talk of hurting themselves is a same-day call to your doctor or a crisis line.
In the classroom
If a child seems to lose reading skills they had, tell the family soon.
Check for a missed step early. Teach it again, and see what the child does with it.
Two sentences for an email home: "I have noticed a change in your child's reading in class this term. Could we compare what each of us is seeing?"
Key Takeaways
ICD-11 is the World Health Organization's list of medical codes. It keeps two kinds of dyslexia apart. In ICD-11, acquired dyslexia is the loss of reading a person already had. ICD-11's description says this loss usually comes in adulthood. ICD-11 names a stroke or other brain injury as example causes.
ICD-11 is the World Health Organization's list of medical codes. It lists acquired dyslexia apart from developmental dyslexia. To us, the developmental kind is about learning to read, not losing it.
Our position is that reading lost after a brain injury goes to a doctor.
Some children find learning to read hard. Find which job of reading is going wrong, and work on that one. The exception is a skill that was there and has gone. Our position is that a lost skill goes to a doctor first, not a tutor. We cannot tell you why a skill was lost.
Find a page your child used to read well. Listen as they read it to you. Note what has changed, if anything. If a skill has gone, take the note to the doctor first. Otherwise, take the note to the teacher.
”What to do tonightWhat to use next
A set of questions you answer about what you see at home. A screener is a starting point, not a diagnosis. If your child might need formal accommodations (an IEP or 504 plan), or you suspect a vision, hearing, or medical cause, pursue a professional evaluation too — that's the only route to those supports.
A short reading and spelling practice. Each word appears letter by letter. The picture comes only once the word is complete. So guessing from the image is not available. It includes writing words from memory. That practices the spelling and the writing of a word at the same time.
Common questions from parents
What does developmental dyslexia mean?
ICD-11 is the World Health Organization's list of medical codes. It keeps two kinds of dyslexia apart. ICD-11 files "developmental dyslexia" under a code for serious, lasting trouble learning to read. That code covers reading words correctly, reading smoothly, and understanding what is read. To us, the developmental kind is about learning to read, not losing it.
What is acquired dyslexia after a stroke?
ICD-11 is the World Health Organization's list of medical codes. It keeps two kinds of dyslexia apart. In ICD-11, acquired dyslexia is the loss of reading a person already had. ICD-11's description says this loss usually comes in adulthood. ICD-11 names a stroke or other brain injury as example causes. Our position is that reading lost after a brain injury goes to a doctor.
What is the difference between alexia and dyslexia?
ICD-11 is the World Health Organization's list of medical codes. It keeps two kinds of dyslexia apart. In ICD-11, "developmental alexia" is filed with developmental dyslexia. ICD-11's code for lost reading names dyslexia and alexia together. In our view, neither word on its own tells you which kind is meant.