Does My Child Have Dyslexia?

A parent is often the first person to recognize a child’s reading problem. Knowing what to look for can help you know when to investigate further. Don’t get caught waiting for your child to fail in school before you investigate your suspicions –The Dyslexia Paradox

Below is a list of key warning signs for the most common language-based learning difficulty.

If your child has 3 or more of the following warning signs, call us for a screening.

In Preschool

  • trouble learning the alphabet
  • mixing up the sounds and syllables in long words
  • can’t create words that rhyme
  • confusion of left versus right
  • difficulty learning to tie shoes
  • late establishing a dominant hand
  • delayed speech or stuttering
  • trouble memorizing their address, phone number, days of the week
  • chronic ear infections
  • a close relative with dyslexia

In 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:
    • skips or misreads prepositions (says ‘the cat’ instead of ‘a cat’ or misses: for, of, and, on etc.)
    • ignores suffixes
    • can’t sound out unknown words
    • guesses based on shape or context
    • reads silk as slick
    • adds L’s, N’s, R’s or additional consonants to words
    • replaces words for other words that mean something similar – road for path, lake for pond
  • terrible spelling
  • often can’t remember sight words (they, were, does) or homonyms (their, they’re, and there)
  • difficulty telling time on a clock with hands
  • trouble with math
    • memorizing multiplication tables
    • memorizing a sequence of 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 nightmares about school

In High School

All of the 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

In 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

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