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Helpline: 
Recite
Doctor doctor, I think I’m dyslexic
Our Dyslexia Awareness Week quiz proved to us that false beliefs about dyslexia in Scotland are no joke
Sometimes we feel that we harp on a bit when we remind people that we don’t talk about ‘diagnosing’ dyslexia because it’s not a medical condition.
Dyslexia is a language-based learning difference and can mean that people have difficulties with:
- working memory
- processing speed
- phonological awareness.
Yet our recent Dyslexia Awareness Week campaign on busting myths showed that we’re right to keep repeating the message – nearly 40% of respondents to our myth-busting quiz thought that a doctor can tell you if you’re dyslexic. Spoiler alert: they can’t.
Dyslexia is usually identified in schools by teachers with specialist knowledge of dyslexia and is a holistic process, meaning that it can take time .
In Scotland, education is needs-led, which means that children and young people don’t need an identification, or ‘label’, of dyslexia to get the support they need. However, knowing that there is a name for the difficulties they experience can be helpful for lots of children and young people.
Adults often need an identification of dyslexia to ask for things like reasonable adjustments in the workplace, but the cost of a private assessment for adults can be a huge barrier to this. Our 2024 report, Towards a Dyslexia-Friendly Scotland?, reinforced this stark reality and in November 2024 we presented the findings to First Minister John Swinney alongside a call for free dyslexia assessments for adults. We await the outcome of this request .
As misinformation and misunderstanding continues, Dyslexia Scotland will also continue to provide clear and accurate information and support to keep Scotland on its dyslexia-friendly journey.