BDA International Conference 2016

Title: Associations and Dissociations of Deficits in Reading, Spelling, and Arithmetic.Abstract: Although deficits in reading, spelling, and arithmetic can occur in isolation (i.e. in thecontext of otherwise typical development), recent prevalence studies clearly show co-morbiditybetween these problems. Nevertheless, dyslexia and dyscalculia are associated with distinctneuro-cognitive profiles (dyslexia: phonological deficit; dyscalculia: numerical processing deficit),with additive deficits in children with comorbid dyslexia + dyscalculia. Interestingly, recentempirical evidence suggests that deficits in reading or spelling can dissociate. Many childrenshow specifically poor spelling in combination with age-adequate reading skills or specificallypoor reading in combination with age-adequate spelling. Early deficits in phonologicalawareness are observed in children who later on develop problems with orthographic spelling,however, they are not evident among isolated poor readers. Dysfluent reading in the absenceof spelling problems is probably best explained by deficits in the fast access from visual symbolsto phonological representations (indicated by a marked and persistent deficit in naming speed).Theories of learning disorders need to explain associations as well as dissociations betweendisorders.