- Dyslexia is a specific learning disorder that is neurobiological in origin. It primarily affects decoding and word recognition, spelling, and reading fluency. It can also impact reading comprehension, writing, and even speaking
- Dyslexia is due to differences in the way the brain processes information
- It is very common (recent research suggests up to 20% of individuals have dyslexia) yet very individualized, meaning no two people with dyslexia will have the same exact difficulties
- Dyslexia affects individuals throughout their lives; however, the signs often differ based on stage of life. Warning signs by age:
Early characteristics (Pre-K and K):
- Delayed speech (i.e., often don’t start talking until two years or older)
- Trouble identifying words that rhyme
- Mixes up sounds in words (aminal for animal)
- Struggles with following directions
- Confusion with direction words (before/after; left/right)
- Difficulty learning letter names and remembering the sounds they make (knowing that b makes the ‘buh’ sound)
- Family history of dyslexia
Elementary School:
- Letter or number reversals (b, d, p, q) past the end of first grade
- Slow, choppy, inaccurate reading
- Guesses words based on first or last letter
- Skips or misreads small function words
- Ignores suffixes
- No strategy to sound out unknown words
- May insert, omit, transpose, or confuse letters or sounds
- Can’t remember sight words
- Poor spelling
- Trouble with math (multiplication tables, directionality, sequences of steps)
- Trouble hearing individual sounds in words and/or blending sounds together
- Avoids reading
- Takes a very long time to complete reading assignments
- Listening comprehension is better than reading comprehension
Middle to High School:
All of the above symptoms plus:
- Limited vocabulary (usually due to less exposure to print)
- Poor written expression
- Difficulty with foreign language
- Trouble reading charts and graphs
Early identification is critical! The earlier you can identify a problem, the sooner you are able to remediate and get your child back on track (up to grade level and prevent any negative impact on their self-confidence and love of learning)
If you think your child may have a learning disability, do not wait! Schedule a consultation to discuss your concerns and determine if testing is warranted.