More than seventy learning disability categories appear to be related to, or varieties of, dyslexia. The methods described in The Gift of Dyslexia and The Gift of Learning have been used successfully to provide varying degrees of improvement for all the following conditions.

ADD/ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder):

The inability to maintain attention or focus on what is being presented. There is a genuine medical condition called ADD, which prevents a person from maintaining attention on anything for long. However, Ron Davis feels that many children being currently diagnosed with ADD are simply bored with the way subjects are taught in US schools. This is covered more fully in Chapter 10 of The Gift of Dyslexia.

Autism:

A condition that prevents a person from being in contact with outside reality. Based on his personal experience, Ron Davis describes it as "like super-dyslexia, only with more severe disorientations triggered by auditory stimuli." Autism is the focus of Ron Davis' current research.

Central Auditory Processing Disorder:

This term is being increasingly used to describe individuals who have problems with listening, either in distinguishing sounds in their language or in comprehending the words they hear. Those who use this 'diagnosis' admit that they don't know what causes it or what to do about it. We believe it is a result of disorientation and the inability of dyslexic people to think with abstract words.

Dyscalculia/Acalculia:

Difficulty with math or an inability to use numbers and do math.

Dysgraphia/Agraphia:

Difficulty writing or an inability to write.

Dysmapia (a new term coined by Alice Davis):

Difficulty with reading maps or finding places. It appears to be related to the confusion some dyslexics have with compass directions, spatial orientation, and directional words such as "left," "right," "up" and "down."

Hyperactivity:

Inattention or "daydreaming" with the addition of physical motion by the student. Ron Davis' theory is that this movement is caused by distortions in the senses of balance, movement and time when a student is disoriented. See Chapter 10 of The Gift of Dyslexia for a further explanation.

Questions. If you or your child or student suffers from any condition that inhibits normal learning, it may fall under one of these categories. To find out whether your child can be helped through Davis methods, contact a Licensed Davis Dyslexia Correction provider to arrange an assessment and consultation.

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Cite as:
Related Learning Disabilities. (1995). Retrieved May 14, 2013 from Davis Dyslexia Association International, Dyslexia the Gift Web site: http://www.dyslexia.com/library/reldis.htm

This Page Last Modified: Friday, 28 August 2009.