Learning disorders ("dys") in children: dyslexia, dysphasia, dyspraxia

Learning disorders explained simply: definitions, when to spot them, difference with a simple delay, and possible school accommodations.

Last updated: 2026-10-12

The dys disorders, one-line definitions

• Dyslexia: reading stays slow and costly (confusions, slowness, exhaustion).
• Dysorthographia: spelling never becomes automatic despite knowing the rules.
• Dysphasia: spoken language develops very slowly and stays laborious — distinct from a simple speech delay.
• Dyspraxia: learned gestures (writing, dressing, cutting) stay clumsy and exhausting.
• Dyscalculia: quantities and calculation remain durably difficult, unrelated to effort.

When to spot them?

Usually when formal school learning begins (5-7 for reading and writing), earlier for dysphasia or dyspraxia (spotted in preschool: laborious speech, very difficult gestures). Typical sign: a bright, articulate child who collapses on written work.

What changes everything: assessment + accommodations

1. Speech and language assessment (and/or psychomotor): it evidences the disorder and anchors everything.
2. Regular therapy: that is the treatment, not an extra punishment.
3. School accommodations: extra time, adapted materials, computer, less copying. A dys child copying the same lesson three times does not progress — they burn out.

Read more

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Frequently asked questions

What does "dys" mean?

It is the Greek prefix meaning "difficulty". The dys disorders are specific, lasting disorders of one function: dyslexia (reading), dysorthographia (spelling), dysphasia (spoken language), dyspraxia (gestures), dyscalculia (numbers) — often in combination.

Dyslexia or simple reading delay?

A delay catches up with time and practice. Dyslexia is a specific disorder: despite normal intelligence and normal effort, the child remains in great difficulty — requiring speech therapy and accommodations, not more copying.

Do dys disorders show up on an IQ test?

No — that is their definition. A dys child has normal intelligence; only one specific channel (written, oral, gestures, numbers) works differently. That is why these invisible disorders are so often misunderstood.