Parents of elementary-aged children may sense that their child’s reading and writing progress is not going as expected. They may have noticed something different about how their child interacts with language long before schooling began and might be wondering if their child is dyslexic. But, can parents truly see signs of dyslexia in early childhood? What if a parent misses the early signs? Can one’s literacy progress be rerouted? When should parents begin to ask questions or take a dyslexia quiz? The good news is that the signs are clear if you know what to look for.
Below, we will explore signs of dyslexia by age group and give you the tools to take the next step to help your child if they are not meeting literacy expectations.
What Are the Signs of Dyslexia by Age?
Early Signs of Dyslexia
Does your preschool or kindergarten child show any of these signs?
A history of blood relative(s) with reading, spelling, and/or school difficulties
Difficulty with:
Speech and pronunciation
Accessing or manipulating letters and sounds
Learning letter names, sounds, or sequences
Early writing skills (coloring and forming letters)
Following directions
Recalling names of familiar things accurately and quickly
Blending sounds to make words
Rhyming
Middle of the Road Signs
Does your 1st-grade child show any of these signs?
A history of blood relative(s) with reading, spelling, and/or school difficulties
Difficulty with:
Reading words accurately (especially when reading isolated words)
Spelling
Language organization
Detecting the speech sounds that make up words and connecting sounds to letters
If your child is being taught using a science-backed reading method and is still having unexpected difficulties developing early reading and/or writing skills, take the Lexercise dyslexia quiz to assess the risk of dyslexia. The International Dyslexia Association and Reading Rockets state that children should be screened and can be identified as struggling readers prior to 3rd grade. Children identified as at risk by early screenings and who receive early intervention have better outcomes. Is it too late if your child is in Grade 3 or higher? No. Intervention can be effective with older students and even adults. Below, we will explore dyslexia signs that present in older students.
Rerouting Time
Does your elementary-age or older child show any of these signs?
A history of blood relative(s) with reading, spelling, and/or school difficulties
Difficulty with:
Reading aloud
Pronouncing new and unfamiliar words from print
Reading comprehension
Written language formulation
Word usage and spelling
Sentence structure, grammar, and punctuation
Paragraph organization
Written expression in comparison to oral expression
Mispronunciation of commonly used words
Advanced (academic) vocabulary words
Learning a foreign language
Math
Memorizing math facts
Solving word problems
A child may not possess all the signs, but if they have several signs listed above it may be time for testing and evaluation.
You can also contact us for a free consultation to learn more about how to overcome the literacy challenges your child is facing.
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