Which of the following is most likely a problem for a child with developmental dyslexia?

• A. Deficits in visual acuity
• B. Impaired ability to understand spoken language
• C. Difficulty recognizing and decoding written words
• D. Problems with gross motor coordination

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the definition of developmental dyslexia. It is a specific learning disorder characterized primarily by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities.
2. Step 2: Recognize that developmental dyslexia is not typically associated with deficits in visual acuity (sharpness of vision) or gross motor coordination (large muscle movements). These are separate issues.
3. Step 3: Note that impaired ability to understand spoken language is more related to language comprehension disorders, not dyslexia, which mainly affects reading and decoding written words.
4. Step 4: Identify that the core problem in developmental dyslexia is difficulty recognizing and decoding written words, which affects reading fluency and comprehension.
5. Step 5: Conclude that among the options given, the difficulty recognizing and decoding written words is the most likely problem for a child with developmental dyslexia.