What Are the Signs of a Child with Dyslexia?

Is your child struggling in school with reading writing and spelling, unable to follow
directions or remember things they are taught, disorganized and poor at managing their time, and regularly tongue-tied when attempting to express themselves orally? Was the child late to begin speaking and slow to use new words? Do they reverse the sounds of words? Perhaps the child’s teachers have called him lazy, unfocused or disengaged, or suggested she was below average in intelligence.

All of these and more are signs of a learning disorder called dyslexia that can go undiagnosed for years. It isn’t about intelligence memory or lack of effort or perseverance. Dyslexia, according to the Cleveland Clinic, “disrupts how your brain processes written language. People with dyslexia have trouble with reading and related skills. It’s very treatable, and it doesn’t have to stand in the way of success.”

What is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a function of both environmental and genetic factors that affect about 10% of the population. The most common learning disability, it disrupts individuals’ ability to match letters on the page with the sounds they should produce, cascading into difficulty with the entire reading and comprehending process. People with dyslexia read slowly but they are often highly intelligent, fast and creative thinkers who possess strong reasoning abilities. While there is no cure for dyslexia, which varies widely in severity, early and intensive intervention can dramatically mitigate the symptoms.

The Signs and Symptoms of Dyslexia

The signs and symptoms of dyslexia vary by age because the activities we engage in over our life span do the same. In preschoolers, parents should look out for late talking; language delays; word sound reversal; and problems remembering the names of letters, numbers and colors. Young children with dyslexia may seem indifferent to nursery rhymes and rhyming games because they struggle to recognize the patterns.

Any parent who observes more than one of these issues should have their child tested immediately. The earlier specialized education can begin, the better the outcome.

Young Students with Dyslexia

School-age children begin to present different signs of dyslexia. They appear intelligent but read well below grade level and have problems processing and understanding oral concepts. They struggle with letter and word sequencing both in written and oral form, which spills into writing and spelling as well. They confuse letters and struggle even to sound out words. For obvious reasons, dyslexic children will begin avoiding reading- based activities, which makes them seem lazy or non-compliant when in fact they are frustrated. Children with dyslexia often have low self-esteem because they cannot perform in school despite their intelligence.

The early school years provide the most salient measures of dyslexia, and that is when most children are diagnosed. Again, early detection and action are key, so parents who believe their child might be dyslexic should demand that they be tested. Because dyslexia is not uncommon, most schools have plans in place to provide the special lessons dyslexic children need. Where that is insufficient, specially trained tutors and schools for students with learning disabilities like Trident Academy in Mount Pleasant, SC provide a more intensive and personalized approach. Trident Academy employs the gold standard for accelerating the education of dyslexic children – customized, individualized, multi-sensory instruction utilizing the Orton-Gillingham approach.

Adults with Dyslexia

Some people muddle through childhood undiagnosed and grow into adults with many of the same symptoms – difficulty reading, writing, spelling and pronouncing words. They tend to avoid such activities, and when that is not possible, spend unusually long amounts of time on the tasks. They have difficulty summarizing stories and are not adept at learning foreign languages. Many adults hide these symptoms by working extra hard, avoiding reading-centric careers and leaning into their strengths. Only when they discover the explanation for their difficulties does it all make sense.

Dyslexic adults may have success in other endeavors, but they should know that their children are at much higher risk of inheriting the trait.