Early Signs of Dyslexia

One of the reasons that I began to blog was to share our Dyslexia Journey with others who are on the same path but perhaps not quite as far along.  Dyslexia is a complicated issue and there is much to learn about causes, treatments and compensation skills for life.

The early signs of dyslexia can be overlooked because well-meaning doctors and teachers claim that the child will outgrow the struggles and develop reading skills in their own unique time.  However, dyslexia researchers have discovered that early reading interventions give all children, especially dyslexics, the best chance at academic success.

Signs of Dyslexia in Young Children

1. Trouble with concepts of time.
2. Unable to follow 2 or 3-step directions.
3. Learn to talk later than other children their age
4. Difficulty learning the names of shapes and colors
5. Difficulty learning letter names and sounds
6. Reversal of syllables and phonemes (letter sounds) within a word.
7. Unable to recognize or produce rhymes.
8. Early stuttering
9. Cannot sequence rote memory concepts such as days of the week, months of the year, alphabet, and numbers.
10. Trouble recognizing letters in words or even their names.
11. Delays with fine motor skills like tying shoes, coloring and writing

There is no single pattern of difficulty that affects all dyslexic people.  Your child may have dyslexia if all or most of these signs appear.  Dyslexia in preschoolers is extremely hard to diagnose because many of its symptoms are developmentally common for all preschoolers.  The more symptoms that are present, and the longer they persist, the more likely it is that your child may need some help.  Dyslexia is marked by a combination of signs and a lack of progress over time.

A note on ‘labeling’: There are those who are strongly opposed to ‘labeling’ kids with learning differences.  I have come to choose what I believe is a balanced approach to ‘labeling’.  Kids who learn differently are not necessarily disabled, in fact, usually quite the opposite.  They are usually average to above average in intelligence.  But if they learn differently than other children, they will eventually come to know this and wonder about why they are different.  It is comforting and reassuring for kids to know that there is a physical ( and in many ways fixable) reason for this difference and that their parents are aware of and doing something about it.

Be assured that with the proper programs designed to meet his needs, reading will be less of a mystery and your child’s many and varied other talents will emerge.  All kids can learn to read.  If you suspect your child may be dyslexic, you may want to have your child evaluated.  Click here for my previous post:  Dyslexia:  What to Do?

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