Of all human maladies which account for learning disabilities among young and old alike, few remain as poorly understood and inconclusively defined as dyslexia. The general public perceives dyslexia to be a reading problem; some psychologists believe that dyslexia can stem from a low socio-economic status; educators see the term as involving reading, writing, speech, and/or spelling; and medical professionals view dyslexia from a physical, organic and neurological viewpoint. Theories of dyslexia, usually using the term "word blindness" were first developed in 1896. Medicine paid little attention to dyslexia until the 1950s. Not every symptom of dysfunction is found in every dyslexic. The lag in maturation of behavior, speech, or appearance is not rare, but it can be a warning sign of dyslexia. Stuttering and speech defects are prevalent in dyslexics. Dyslexia is not a single symptom--it is the persistence and overlap of symptoms that point to dyslexia. Clues to a neurological cause of dyslexia may lie in the region of the corpus callosum. Heredity may also be a factor. Diagnosis of dyslexia usually begins when a parent or teacher notices reading or comprehension failure. The most widely used remedial method is the Orton-Gillingham technique, which uses a simultaneous association of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic language stimuli. Remediation can build self esteem and aid in using the special talents that are integral to the dyslexic's unique way of looking at the world. (Contains 20 references.) (RS)