| The history of dyslexia is actually longer than | | | | dominance. |
| most people might think-nearly 150 years. To | | | | Orton's theories were later expanded on in the |
| further put that into perspective, autism was only | | | | 1950s when further research found that by |
| identified and treated as a learning disability 100 | | | | increasing the distance between letters, reading in |
| years ago-and the signs of autism are more | | | | essence became spelling. It was noted that signs |
| prominent. The biggest challenge researchers have | | | | of dyslexia would then, at the very least, not be |
| had to overcome over the last century and a half | | | | as prominent. This led to the conclusion that |
| has been the fact that dyslexia has no outward | | | | dyslexia might be visually based. This was yet |
| symptoms beyond the dyslexic's inability to read, | | | | another turning point in the history of dyslexia. |
| write or do arithmetic. | | | | In 1979 it was again noted in postmortem |
| As early as the 1860s it has been noted that | | | | autopsy that people with dyslexia had |
| people who suffered from brain damage in such a | | | | abnormalities in the center of the brain that |
| way that restricted blood flow through the brain | | | | houses speech function. |
| would have trouble reading and speaking. This | | | | Dyslexia history remained fairly static, with |
| condition was called aphasia and was thought to | | | | possible causes being bantered back and forth |
| be brought on by this type of brain damage only. | | | | until the late 1980s when MRI technology enabled |
| This conclusion was further credited after | | | | researchers the ability to watch the brain as it |
| researchers found brain lesions prominent on | | | | was functioning as opposed to postmortem. |
| deceased patients' brains. | | | | In 2008, research in the field took yet another |
| In 1895 a paper was published that suggested | | | | step forward when different sub-groups of |
| that children suffering from "word blindness" might | | | | dyslexics were compared with a control of other |
| have suffered brain damage at birth. The | | | | dyslexics. This is important because it helps |
| consensus changed in 1917 when the book | | | | establishing a baseline for better determination of |
| Congenital Word Blindness was published. This | | | | degrees of dyslexia. |
| book was written by researcher James | | | | Today, through the use of neural imaging, it has |
| Hinshelwood who maintained the primary disability | | | | been determined that the cause of dyslexia |
| was in visual memory for words and letters. He | | | | resides in the center of the brain where speech |
| identified letter reversals, and difficulties with | | | | function takes place. The root cause, or causes, |
| spelling as symptoms. | | | | has still yet to be determined. The prevailing |
| Dyslexia history takes a positive turn in 1925 | | | | theories involve development of the brain, |
| when Samuel T. Orton determined that there was | | | | genetics, and even one theory that dyslexia might |
| something else going on besides brain damage. His | | | | be linked to learning disabilities such as ADHD. |
| studies indicated that a separate reason could be | | | | Throughout dyslexia history, great strides have |
| causing people with no obvious head trauma to | | | | been made, but for a condition that has been |
| struggle with reading and writing. His research was | | | | studied for so long, progress is still measured in |
| based on the proposition that people with "word | | | | inches. Science is closer to finding the true cause |
| blindness" had troubles associating written words | | | | of dyslexia and developing a better way to |
| into spoken language. This theory has regained a | | | | identify individuals with dyslexia than they have |
| lot of credence in recent years. But he might | | | | ever been before. In the meantime, the best |
| have missed the mark by determining that the | | | | detection methods are awareness, education, and |
| root cause of this was an issue with brain | | | | the diligence of parents. |