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