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Warning Signs of Dyslexia

If 3 or more of these warning signs exist, we encourage you to learn more about dyslexia.

Preschool Age
• 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


Elementary School Age
• 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

Highschool Age
All of the previous 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


 

Adult Age
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
• often gets lost, even in a familiar city
• sometimes confuses b and d, especially when tired or sick

Information found on this page was taken in part from the website Bright Solutions for Dyslexia, www.dys-add.com.

Please visit them for more information on dyslexia.

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