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Warning Signs of Dyslexia 

If a child has 3 or more of the following warning signs, please call to discuss testing and tutoring options for your child. 

In Preschool

 

  • A close relative with dyslexia

  • Can't create words that rhyme

  • Trouble memorizing their address, phone number, or the alphabet

  • Difficulty learning to tie shoes

  • Late establishing a dominant hand

  • Constant confusion of left verses right

  • Stuttering

  • Chronic ear infections

  • Mixing up the sounds and syllables in long words

  • Delayed Speech

     

In High School

 

Many of the preschool and elementary school signs 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 

    • ​despite large amount of effort

  • May drop out of high school​

In Elementary School

 

  • Slow, non-automatic handwriting that is difficult to read (dysgraphia) 

  • Letter/ number reversals continuing past the end of 1st grade

  • Extreme difficulty learning cursive

  • Slow, choppy, inaccurate reading:

    • guesses based on shape or context

    • skips or misreads prepositions (at, to, of, in)

    • ignores or adds suffixes

    • can't sound out an unknown word

  • Terrible spelling

  • Difficulty remembering sight words (was, does, goes)

  • Difficulty remembering homonyms (there, their, they're)

  • Difficulty telling time on a clock with hands

  • Trouble with math

    • memorizing math facts

    • confused with a sequence of steps

    • directionality trouble

  • Word retrieval when speaking

    • lot's of "um" and "thingies"

    • common sayings come out slightly twisted

  • Extremely messing bedroom, backpack, and desk

  • Dreads going to school

    • complains of stomach aches or headaches

    • may have nightmares about school

In Adults

 

Many of the previous warning signs 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

  • Difficulty with left verses right

  • Often gets lost, even in a familiar city

  • Sometimes confuses b and d, especially when tired or sick 

Source: Bright Solutions for Dyslexia

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