Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty, but there are a lot of misconceptions and misunderstandings about it, which can make it challenging for people to be able to spot whether their child has dyslexia. You may have noticed that your child is struggling with numeracy, writing, reading, or spelling, but how do you know if these troubles indicate dyslexia or not?
There are a number of evident signs that your child may have dyslexia. For example, a ‘spiky’ profile is one of them, which basically means that your child displays strong ability as well as areas of weaknesses. You may also have other members of the family that have similar weaknesses. It is critical to remember that not all children with dyslexia show the same abilities and weaknesses.
Some of the key signs that you should be looking out for in primary children include forgetting words, difficulty when following instructions, lack of concentration, and slow speed when processing the written language or the spoken word.Â
We’re going to take a look at some of the main signs when it comes to different areas of learning now. For example, some of the signs to look out for in your child’s written work include:
- An unusual sequencing of words or letters
- Bizarre spelling
- Poor pencil grip
- Badly set-out written work
- Anagrams of words
- Words spelled in different ways within the same piece of writing
- Badly formed letters and poor handwriting
- Confused by letters that look alikeÂ
- Messy work that has words tried several times and a lot of crossings out
- A poor level of written work in comparison with oral abilityÂ
Aside from this, there are some indicators you should look out for in regards to your child’s reading ability, which include:
- Difficulty choosing the most vital parts of a passage
- Failure to recognize familiar words
- Missing out words or adding extra words when readingÂ
- Labored and hesitant reading
- No expression when reading
- Unusual word pronunciation
- Difficulty determining syllable divisionÂ
- Difficulty when blending words together
- Slow progress when reading
- Challenges when knowing the ending and the beginning of words
Some children with dyslexia also display indications of this learning difficulty when it comes to dealing with time. Examples include:
- Difficulty with concepts, i.e. tomorrow or yesterday
- Difficulty remembering the day of the week
- Poor personal organization
- Poor timekeeping
- Difficulty when learning to tell the time
Finally, we have also noticed that a lot of primary school children with dyslexia have difficulty when it comes to numeracy as well. Examples of this are as follows:
- Challenges remembering anything in a sequential order, for example, the alphabet or days of the week
- Confused by symbols
- Confusion with regard to place value, for example, hundreds or unitsÂ
So there you have it: some of the different signs and indications that your child may be experiencing dyslexia. You can click here to learn more about the schooling options that are available should your child appear to have dyslexia. While dyslexia can be challenging, it certainly does not need to hold you back.
