Why is it that some normally intelligent children aren't able to read? Why does an act that is so simple and automatic for almost everyone appear to be so complicated, or perhaps even impossible, for others? How can one distinguish the symptoms of an authentic reading disorder from the natural difficulty of learning? Dyslexia is a clinical syndrome that hinders the normal process of interpreting graphic signs. If not identified, it can turn into a source of painful frustration and serious psychological ailments. A prompt treatment using suitable re-educational methods can avoid such outcomes: a dyslexic child can grow up to be a successfully employed adult. In this text a major expert explains what dyslexia is, how it manifests itself and, especially, how to deal with it. Parents, teachers, and speech therapists can - with suitable educational and rehabilitative tools - effectively contribute to overcoming this disability.

Giacomo Stella teaches Clinical Psychology at the University of Urbino and is the founder of the Italian Dyslexia Association.