How to Diagnose Dysnomia

What is Dysnomia?
Dysnomia refers to a learning disability that causes difficulty in retrieving correct names, words, or numbers from memory. An individual who suffers from dysnomia may struggle while talking, writing, or both. Dysnomiacs commonly use word replacement when unable to retrieve a word. The disorder makes it difficult for sufferers to convey their thoughts concisely, therefore dysnomiacs often require extra time on tests.

How is Dysnomia Diagnosed?
To diagnose this condition, doctors use neuropsychological tests that can both detect and measure the severity of dysnomia. Neuropsychological tests can eliminate the presence of other conditions that present with similar symptoms.

Rapid Automatized Naming, which assesses how quickly a person can name familiar objects and colors, is a useful tool in diagnosing dysnomia. During this test, common objects (or colors) are repeatedly displayed on a computer screen, and an individual is asked to quickly identify and name five of those objects or colors. The time a person suspected to have dysnomia takes to name the objects is then compared to the time taken to name the objects by an individual of the same age group without dysnomia.

Treatment for dysnomia varies based on the underlying causes of the condition. Dysnomia treatments may include medication, speech therapy, and language therapy. While dysnomia resulting from brain trauma is treatable, the learning disability is not.

For more information on dysnomia, see below:

Dysnomia: Top 5 Symptoms

Dysnomia: How Your Diet Plays a Role

Dysnomia: Top Natural Supplements for Treatment

Dysnomia: Top Treatments that Work