Is it possible dyslexia can go unnoticed for 20years?

Question

i have always struggled in school and teachers have questioned me here and there about being dyslexic, recently, past few years, a few of my professors asked me if i was and so have a few of my friends. ive researched online and well the first time i read about dyslexia i cried because i felt as if i finally understood what has been wrong all these years. but is it possible to go your whole life without dyslexia ever being diagnosed? is there anything like adult on-set dyslexia? im sorry if these are dumb questions but i just need some straight answers. also how do they test you for it? like what type of questions or materials do they base diagnosis on?

Answer 1

Adult on set dyslexia, no there is no such thing, but there are several other possibilities.

1) A head injury could cause dyslexia latter in life

2, the more likely) You are a compensated dyslexic. You were able to keep up when you were younger because you developed your own strategies that worked well until your course load went up. Now you are struggling. It sounds as though you are in uni. Talk to your school disability coordinators. They should be able to help you and get you referred for testing, and most likely give you a free or low cos screening test. If you are not in uni, a doctor can refer you for an assessment.

Testing is time consuming and involves having you do many different activities to asses aall your skills. You may also be given an IQ test. Good luck!

Answer 2

It's very common for dyslexia to go undiagnosed for a long time. Many people don't know exactly what it is, and only associate it with "seeing things backwards" I wouldn't call it adult on-set so much as adult finally recognized! Check out the web site for adult dyslexics at http://www.dyslexia-adults.com/

Answer 3

I have a sister and father who were diagnosed with dyslexia. I was fortunate enough to not be even though I struggled a little in school. my sister was also diagnosed with ADD which is the non-hyper case. I just wanted you to know that my dad was a huge influence to my sis and I always remember him saying you just have to work a little harder than others which also got me through school. He said it took a lot of practice for him to learn how to check his work. My father is a great reader and very successful. I guess what I'm trying to say is so long as you don't use it as an excuse and hold yourself back from what you want to do in life then speak to a counselor of some kind. If you do have dyslexia you may have learned at a very young age to correct yourself which is excellent! And if you don't then my only explenation is that the stresses of life can take a toll on our learning habits and change them through life.

Answer 4

Find a doctor and talk to them. Only they are qualified to diagnose anything. If you have never been to a specialist about it, yes it can go undiagnosed. Since we don't know what problems you have had in school, no one on here can help you with that. I'm glad you are starting to figure out your problem though.

Answer 5

Yes, it is possible. People as old as 70 and up are discovering for the first time in their life that they are dyslexic (my mother, for one!). Dyslexia is so misunderstood.  It isn't even recognized by many school systems.  Some doctors deny its existence.

There are 41 characteristics of dyslexia.  (Go to http://www.dyslexia.com to learn more.)  It is possible for a person to have only mild symptoms of dyslexia, or to have severe symptoms but only experience them occasionally. If these symptoms are significant enough to cause problems in school, the workplace, or other areas of a person's life - this is when a person will seek help to correct their problems.  This is when they may (or may not) discover they have dyslexia.

The key here is you say that you have always "struggled" in school.  Now you are discovering the source of your struggling and now you can get help! At dyslexia.com you will discover the positive side of dyslexia and a solution to your struggle with learning!

Answer 6

First off, there is no such thing as a dumb question.  Go see your doctor for an evaluation.  They can diagnose you and get you the help you deserve.  To answer your question, dyslexia can not go un-noticed.  You have proof of that already!  People asking you is the key answer to your question.  Please, go and get medical help ASAP!  God bless!

Answer 7

I think so.  I'm getting tested for bipolar disorder I think I've had my whole life.  I only have realized that this is a possibility upon doing research for my son.  There is also a math form of dyslexia I'm going to request my son be tested for.  It is called discalculia.  Here is a link http://www.dyscalculia.org/calc.html

His teachers don't think his math is a problem, but I watch him struggle with basic addition & subtraction.  I'd rather catch it before there is a major problem.

Answer 8

Before you let yourself spiral into self-doubt, try this: the key might lie in where you are looking when you try to spell something.  Ask your friends (who can spell easily) to spell something, and watch where they look.

They (if they are good spellers) will almost certainly be looking upwards - because they are reading it off a kind of blackboard inside their head.  This is what good spellers do naturally.  If you are looking anywhere else, you might be just lacking the blackboard technique, in which case you'll need to learn it.  

Most people develop it naturally, but some people miss out, perhaps because their other, non-visual senses are stronger - or because their visual sense is hyper-developed and needs harnessing.

So, no need to despair!

Answer 9

Absolutely possible in that we can "learn" to compensate. It has been the that the singer Cher is dyslexic.

Remember, face life with a "sense of humor", I once saw a billboard that said:

"Dyslexics Untie"!

Answer 10

I didn't figure out I had dyslexia and dyscalcula until I was about 35. I had it all my life. I used to think I was just stupid. Now I know how smart I really was to be able to accomplish so much without knowing I had these problems.

There is no treatment or cure - so there is no need to be tested. Just start reading about the "tricks" people learn when they have it. And start adopting them in your life.