What term did James Hinshelwood coin to refer to severe reading difficulties?

James Hinshelwood coined the term "congenital word blindness" to describe severe reading difficulties that arise from a neurological condition, which he observed primarily in children. This term emphasizes the idea that the difficulties in reading are inherent and are connected to the individual's neurological development. Hinshelwood's work highlighted the distinction between reading difficulties caused by environmental factors and those that are rooted in biology, leading to a deeper understanding of how inherent brain structure and function can affect literacy.

The other terms, while related to reading difficulties, have different origins or implications. "Developmental dyslexia" is a more contemporary term that encompasses a range of specific learning disabilities affecting reading. "Strephosymbolia" was a term proposed by Hinshelwood for a specific type of reading difficulty that involves issues with decoding symbols, but it was not as widely adopted as "congenital word blindness." "Neuroanatomical dyslexia" relates to the neurological basis for various dyslexias but does not specifically capture Hinshelwood's original term or focus on the congenital aspect. Therefore, the choice of "congenital word blindness" accurately reflects Hinshelwood's contributions to the understanding of severe reading difficulties.