3 or more warning signs, should not be ignored

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In Preschool

 

• delayed speech

• mixing up the sounds and syllables in long words

• chronic ear infections

• severe reactions to childhood illnesses

• constant confusion of left versus right

• late establishing a dominant hand

• difficulty learning to tie shoes

• trouble memorizing their address, phone

  number, or the alphabet

• can’t create words that rhyme

• a close relative with dyslexia

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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:

   - guesses based on shape or context

   - skips or misreads prepositions (at, to, of)

   - ignores suffixes

   - can’t sound out unknown words

• terrible spelling

• often can’t remember sight words (they, were, does)
   or homophones (their, they’re, and there)

• difficulty telling time with 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

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In High School

 

All the Preschool and Elementary 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

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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
“your other left”

• often gets lost, even in a familiar city

• sometimes confuses b and d, especially when

tired or sick

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Reprinted with prior permission from Susan Barton.