Warning Signs of Dyslexia

If a child has three or more of the following warning signs, please seek a consultation to learn more.

Preschool

  • Delayed speech
  • Mixing up the sounds and syllables in long words
  • Chronic ear infections
  • Stuttering
  • Constant confusion of left versus right
  • Late establishing a dominant hand
  • Difficulty learning to tie shoes
  • Trouble memorizing their address, phone number, or alphabet
  • Can’t create words that rhyme
  • A close relative with dyslexia

Elementary School

  • Dysgraphia (slow, non automatic handwriting that is difficult to read)
  • Letter or number reversals continuing past the end of first grade
  • Extreme difficulty learning cursive
  • Slow, choppy, inaccurate reading
    • Guesses based on shape or context
    • Skips or misreads pronunciations (at, to, of)
    • Ignores suffixes
    • Can’t sound out unknown words
  • Terrible speller
  • Often can’t remember sight words (they, were, does) or homonyms (their, they’re and there)
  • Difficulty telling time with a clock with hands
  • Trouble with math
    • Memorizing multiplication tables
    • Memorizing a sequence or steps
    • Directionality
  • When speaking, difficulty finding the correct word
    • Lots of “whatyamacallits” and “thingies”
    • Common sayings come out slightly twisted
  • Extremely messy bedroom, backpack, and desk
  • Dreads going to school
    • Complains of stomach aches or headaches
    • May have nighmares about school

High School

All above symptoms plus:

  • Limited vocabulary
  • Extremely poor written expression
    • Large discrepancy between verbal skills and written compositions
  • Unable to master a foreign language
  • Difficulty reading printed music
  • Poor grades in many classes
  • May drop out of high school

Adults

Education history similar to above, plus:

  • Slow reader
  • May have to read a page 2 or 3 times to understand it
  • Terrible speller
  • Difficulty putting thoughts onto paper
    • Dreads writing memos or letters
  • Still has difficulty with right versus left
  • Often gets lost, even in a familiar city
  • Sometimes confuses b and d, especially when tired or sick

Credits to: Bright Solutions for Dyslexia copyright 2002 by Susan Barton. All Rights Reserved