Identifying and Screening for Dyslexia

Here is a list of early symptoms (Preschool Level):

• Problems with learning letters, letter sounds, numbers, colors and shapes.  

• Trouble recognizing letters in his/her name.

• Difficulty learning nursery rhymes, understanding/playing rhyming games and recognizing patterns in rhyming words like “bat, cat rat”, etc.  

• Late talker and learning new words slowly

• Family history of dyslexia, as it is genetic

Here is a list of symptoms in the early elementary school age child (Kindergarten and 1st grade):

• Reading well below the expected grade level, though cognition is normal. These children often score in the “red zone” on the school’s standardized testing for reading.  

• Slower processing speed with reading and sometimes with math tasks.  It can take a very long time to complete reading and writing tasks.

• Avoids reading or complains that it is hard or boring.  They may enjoy listening to books or having books read to them, but do not try to read books.

• Trouble sounding out words.

• Unable to break words apart.

• Trouble learning site words.  One day they may get them and the next they do not.  

• Can often mix up letters and sounds.  

• Difficulty finding the right word or answering questions.

Here is a list of symptoms in mid to late elementary school through high school:

• Very slow readers. Reading can be awkward and disjointed.  

• Does not like to read out loud/avoids reading out loud.

• Slower processing time and needs extra time for completion of reading and writing tasks.

• Poor spelling. 

• Trouble reading unfamiliar words.  May often make guesses for words rather than figuring out the word.  No real strategy for figuring out new words.

• Mispronounces unfamiliar words.

• Needs extra time to answer questions.

• Struggles to finish work on time and complete tests on time.  

• Difficulty learning a foreign language.

• Decreased confidence or low self-esteem (if strategies and support are not in place)