Visual and Auditory Processing Impairments in Subtypes of Developmental Dyslexia: A Discussion

Abstract

There has been a large body of research exploring sensory processing deficits in dyslexia, in both the visual and the auditory domains. Recently, there has also been evidence to suggest that dyslexia may be a heterogeneous disorder, with different patterns of dyslexia being identifiable. In this paper, we examine the relationship between these two bodies of research. First, we briefly review the evidence for sensory processing impairments in dyslexia, in both the visual and the auditory domains. Second, we consider how such deficits might affect the development of different component processes in reading and, therefore, be associated with different subtypes of dyslexia. Finally, we present some illustrative data, which points to the importance of considering different component processes of reading when investigating sensory processing deficits in dyslexia.