In today’s post, I am going to share the most common warning signs of dyslexia. Dyslexia is really common and one in every five kids in the classroom has it. These warning signs can begin as early as preschool. So, if you are wondering if your child might have dyslexia, here are six major signs to look for:
1. Your Child Reverses or Jumbles Letters
If your child reverses the letters b and d or p and q or writes the letters m for w, they might have dyslexia. These letters may be flipped vertically or horizontally. The word “now” can become “won.” Your child might also mirror-write entire sentences. Reversals in children under the age of eight are normal, however, by third grade, this should be a thing of the past. At this point, if your child is still reversing letters and numbers or mirror writing, this is a huge red flag for dyslexia.
2. Your Child Has Difficulties Recalling Words When Talking or Writing a Story
“Mom, can you get me that thing,” or “hand me that stuff.” If simple words don’t always flow out of your child’s mouth so easily, they might have dyslexia. Kids with dyslexia fill their sentences with pronouns or words lacking in specificity. Filler words like “um” may be used to take up time while your child tries to remember a word. A child with dyslexia knows exactly what she or he wants to say; the difficulty is with pulling out the right words. When a dyslexic child is asked to write a story, often they can’t think of the word they want to use or can’t figure out how to spell it. Recalling names, reciting the months of the year in order, or even remembering the days of the week can be a real problem for a dyslexic child.
3. Your Child Makes Many Spelling Errors, and Spells Things Phonetically
If your child spells words exactly as they sound without applying any spelling rules, they might have dyslexia. Dyslexics use highly phoneticized spelling when writing. For example, “sed” for “said” or “shud” for “should” is a common difficulty for dyslexics. Children with dyslexia also have difficulties distinguishing among homophones, such as “there” and “their.” These kids might also reverse the order of two letters, especially when they involve double vowels, writing “dose” for “does.” Sometimes, the vowels are just left out altogether.
4. Your Child Uses Substitutions When Reading
If your child substitutes a word that means the same thing but doesn’t look at all similar while reading a story, they might have dyslexia. For example, saying the word “trip” while reading the word “journey,” or saying the word “house” while reading the word “home” are examples of substitutions while reading.
5. Your Child Has Horrible Handwriting
If your child has really poor, illegible handwriting filled with spelling errors, they probably have dyslexia. Some of the main signs of this type of poor handwriting include:
- Tight and unusual pencil grip
- Writes letters with unusual starting and ending points
- Unusual spatial organization on the paper and not following the margins or keeping the letters on the horizontal lines.
- Difficulties with punctuation, not applying capital letters, and adding major run-ons and sentences with fragments.
6. Your Child Has Incredible Gifts That Are Not Reading-Related
Dr. Sally Shaywitz, one of the nation’s leading researchers in the field of dyslexia describes dyslexia as “a weakness in a sea of strengths.” Because dyslexia has nothing to do with intelligence, a child may have talents and abilities in other areas of the brain not related to language. Some are good at mechanical, artistic, or spatial tasks. Some kids might have incredible social skills, extensive oral vocabulary, and analytical skills that are very strong. Some kids are natural leaders and are socially perceptive. In fact, some of the world’s best thinkers, celebrities, entrepreneurs, and billionaires also happen to have dyslexia!
I Have a Resource For You!
Thank you for reading my post today! You might also enjoy reading my previous post:
Homeschooling a Child with Dyslexia
Please don’t leave without checking out the PRIDE Reading Program. The PRIDE Reading Program is an Orton-Gillingham curriculum that is used by teachers, tutors, and homeschooling parents worldwide with great success.
