Warning Signs of Dyslexia

​​In Preschool

• delayed speech

• mixing up the sounds and syllables in long words

• chronic ear infections

• stuttering

• 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

 

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 homonyms (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​