Understanding Your Reading Challenges
Adult Dyslexia Evaluations
Years of reading struggles can leave you frustrated and searching for answers. At Minnesota Neuropsychology, our comprehensive evaluations diagnose dyslexia and provide the clarity you’ve been seeking. Our approach helps you understand your learning profile and discover strategies that work for you.
What Is Dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a lifelong learning difference that affects how your brain processes written language. It makes reading, spelling, and sometimes writing more difficult than it should be based on your intelligence and education. Dyslexia testing as an adult can help confirm whether your reading challenges are due to this condition.
If you have dyslexia, you might notice that reading takes more effort than it seems to for others. You may read slowly, skip or mix up letters, or have trouble spelling common words. Some people with dyslexia also struggle with reading comprehension or remembering what they just read.
Dyslexia affects about 10-15% of the population. It’s not related to intelligence—many successful professionals, entrepreneurs, and creative thinkers have dyslexia. The key is understanding how your brain works differently and developing strategies that work for you.
Seeking a Dyslexia Evaluation as an Adult
Getting answers about your reading challenges can be life-changing for your confidence and daily life. At Minnesota Neuropsychology, our comprehensive evaluations look at the whole person—considering how dyslexia affects you cognitively, emotionally, and socially. Our assessment process diagnoses dyslexia and other commonly occurring neurodiversities like ADHD.
Signs You May Have Dyslexia
- Letter-Sound Associations: Difficulty connecting sounds with written letters.
- Sounding Out Words: Struggles with putting sounds together to make words
- Reading Speed: Slow, labored reading that disrupts comprehension.
- Skipping or Guessing Words: Tendency to skip small connector words or guess at words based on the first letter when reading aloud.
- Comprehension: Difficulty remembering previously read material, or misreading written instructions
- Spelling Consistency: Persistent errors despite practice, with inconsistent spelling of the same word.
- Handwriting Quality: Messy writing or difficulty with writing tools, inconsistent use of punctuation, inconsistent letter-word spacing.
- Letter/Word Spacing: Difficulty consistently writing letters or words with appropriate spacing.
- Written Organization: Trouble expressing thoughts coherently or structuring ideas logically on paper.
- Emotional Response: Frustration, avoidance, or anxiety during reading or writing tasks.
The Evaluation Day
A comprehensive evaluation that includes adult dyslexia testing can provide a complete picture of your cognitive profile, any potential diagnoses, and a roadmap with specific strategies for support. The evaluation process includes:
- A morning interview to discuss your history and concerns
- An interactive testing process with one of our assessment specialists involving a set of tasks designed to measure different aspects of cognitive functioning
- Same-day meeting with the neuropsychologist to discuss results and recommendations
- Detailed written report delivered the following week
Our experienced team of neuropsychologists has established relationships with local experts who offer services for ongoing support like medication consultation, coaching, therapy, and any other relevant services. Learn more about your evaluation day in our detailed overview.
We were so impressed by the care, humanity, humor, and professionalism of the MNNP team. A sincere thank you to the team that worked with us.
Expert Assessments from a Compassionate Team
We provide evaluations in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area through comprehensive, data-driven evaluations in two welcoming settings. Whether you visit our Cathedral Hill or Wayzata location, you can expect a caring and compassionate team. Our neuropsychologists have the highest level of specialized training in our field and bring a supportive, personable approach to every evaluation. Our mission is to provide a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation that empowers our clients to find clarity about their strengths and challenges and provide clear options for the next steps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are common questions about neurodiversity related to dyslexia in adults. To learn about the evaluation process for adults, see our web page about our comprehensive adult evaluations.
What is dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a brain-based processing difference that primarily affects reading and spelling. Adults with dyslexia may struggle with reading fluency, accuracy, and comprehension, often finding it difficult to decode or recognize words automatically. These challenges are not related to intelligence but are rooted in how the brain processes written language.
Beyond reading difficulties, dyslexia can impact spelling and writing. Many adults with dyslexia have developed coping strategies over the years but still find reading tasks exhausting or stressful. You might avoid reading aloud, take longer to complete written work, or feel anxious about tasks involving reading or writing in professional settings.
A comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation can determine whether your reading struggles are due to dyslexia. It can also uncover related strengths and any co-occurring conditions like ADHD. With a proper diagnosis, adults can develop more effective strategies, sometimes access workplace accommodations, and finally understand why reading has always felt more challenging. Many adults report feeling relief and validation after receiving a dyslexia diagnosis.
What is the benefit of having a formal dyslexia diagnosis as an adult?
A formal dyslexia diagnosis provides several important benefits:
- Understanding the root cause: You’ll gain clarity about the specific underlying mechanics of your reading challenges and how dyslexia affects your learning. A diagnosis helps demystify lifelong reading struggles and reduce self-criticism.
- Accessing school accommodations: A formal diagnosis may qualify you for workplace support and accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
- Starting targeted intervention: With a clear diagnosis, you can begin specialized dyslexia strategies and interventions designed to address your specific reading challenges and improve your skills.
What are your policies regarding insurance?
To ensure we can provide thorough evaluations, we have chosen to be an out-of-network provider and do not accept insurance. Unfortunately, insurance companies impose strict limitations on how much time can be allocated to different parts of an evaluation. For complete details about potential reimbursement opportunities, please visit our Fees & Payments web page.
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Through our dyslexia assessment, you’ll finally understand your reading challenges and get the answers you’ve been seeking.
