According to the International Dyslexia Association It is estimated that 1 in 5 of the population has dyslexia. Unfortunately, most kids do not get diagnosed with dyslexia soon enough. Early signs of dyslexia appear during preschool and by kindergarten/first grade it should be very apparent. Yet, many kids will not get a diagnosis until later in their schooling or sometimes even into adulthood. “It is possible to identify potential reading problems in young children even before the problems turn into reading failure. Screenings should be used with all children in a school, beginning in Kindergarten, to locate those who are ‘at risk’ for reading difficulty. Preventative intervention should begin immediately…how the child responds to supplementary instruction will help determine if special education services are justified and necessary,” (The International Dyslexia Association. “Dyslexia in the Classroom, What Every Teacher Needs to Know,” 2013). This means most students will not get the intervention they need leading to even more struggling. 

I do want to note that dyslexia is NOT related to intelligence. Dyslexic students have average and oftentimes above average intelligence. It is a language based disorder. Dyslexics are neurodivergent, they think and learn differently than many of us. These early signs of dyslexia will also include many strengths! So, what are the early signs of dyslexia? 

*Please note these are not meant to be diagnostic measures, they are merely a place to start if you are concerned* 

PRESCHOOL

Many of the early signs of dyslexia begin to appear in preschool, but we are rarely looking for them. Here they are: 

Family History of Dyslexia

Dyslexia is often hereditary, approximately 60% of people diagnosed with dyslexia have a close family member who was diagnosed with dyslexia or struggled to learn to read. 

Speech Delay

Students who have diagnosed speech delay, particularly a phonological processing disorder, are much more likely to have dyslexia. Even without a formal speech disorder, dyslexic students may mispronounce words. This can be typical in preschool, but if it continues without the child noticing and correcting it then this is a concern. 

Difficulty Recalling Sequences

If your child or student struggles to recall sequences (alphabet, days of the week, songs) they are regularly exposed to this is a sign of dyslexia. They may also struggle to name things like colors they know quickly. 

Difficulty Rhyming 

Dyslexic students often have a hard time learning to rhyme, even quite simple words. This may also show up as being unable to recall the rhyming word in a familiar nursery rhyme. 

Difficulty Following Multistep Directions

Many kids struggle with directions-we’ve all been there! Kids with dyslexia are more likely to forget multi-step directions though. So, if you say “Get your shoes, and then come outside.” They will get their shoes, but might forget to come outside. This is related to working memory. 

KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE

This is where we really want to be identifying kids if they have dyslexia! If we wait much longer than Kindergarten/First Grade kids are much less likely to be successful readers. 

Difficulty Learning Letter Names/Sounds

This may show up in preschool as well, if kids have already been exposed to letter names/sounds. Most kids enter Kindergarten knowing many of the letter names/sounds. If kids are struggling to retain the names of the letters and their sounds they should start receiving extra support ASAP and consider being evaluated for dyslexia. This, and phonemic awareness are usually the two biggest signs of dyslexia or some other reading difficulty. 

Struggles with Phonemic Awareness

Since dyslexia is a language based disorder, lack of phonemic awareness is a big sign they may struggle with dyslexia. So, when kids are struggling to blend, segment, and manipulate sounds even after they’ve received instruction in those areas we want to be sure we are looking further into their reading supports. Dyslexics will often lack awareness of the parts of words (sounds) and how they come together to create the whole word. 

Spelling Difficulty

While we don’t expect 5 and 6 year olds to be perfect spellers, we do expect they will start using their letter/sound knowledge in spelling. They should be able to spell simple words they are familiar with (cat, bat, sat, etc.) and with more complex words we want to see at least one letter written to represent each sound (for example: bot, for boat if they have not learned the oa pattern yet).They should also be able to spell familiar sight words.  When this is a struggle it can be a sign of dyslexia. 

STRENGTHS

Dyslexia can be a challenge when it comes to reading and writing. It can also be a huge strength in life! Dyslexics think differently than most people, making them great innovators. Many companies are beginning to seek out people with dyslexia for their creativity, imagination, and outside the box thinking. 

Extraordinary Imagination

All kids are imaginative, but dyslexic students are able to do this on a whole other level. They will be able to create amazing stories and ideas from very little inspiration.

Think Outside the Box

Dyslexics are so creative, innovative and imaginative they often have outside the box ideas. Many famous people and millionaires are dyslexic: Albert Einstein, Walt Disney, Robin Williams, Pablo Picasso, Steven Speilberg, and many more.

Great Memory For Stories Read to Them

Kids with dyslexia will often be able to recall many details about the stories read to them. Their comprehension (when read to) surpasses most other kids. This can be wonderful and frustrating, dyslexics enjoy stories and have great comprehension, but reading itself is a strain. 
There are many signs of dyslexia. Please check out my free Early Signs of Dyslexia Checklist for even more information. Again, this is not a diagnostic tool. If you are concerned about your student or child having dyslexia after reading through these early signs. I highly suggest you have them screened and possibly evaluated for dyslexia. Teachers, education therapists, and learning specialists can screen for dyslexia. Here is my Dyslexia Screener Assessment if you need one (this is mainly geared toward educators, but could be used by parents). Not all schools have quality screeners, use mine or ask to make sure the screener your child’s school uses is based on Structured Literacy! Once they have been screened you can make the choice of whether they should be evaluated by an Educational Psychologist or Dyslexia Therapist to get an official diagnosis.


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