Know What to Look For

A parent is often the first person to recognize a child’s reading problem.  Knowing what to look for can help you decide whether to investigate further.  Below is a list of key warning signs for the most common language-based learning disability; dyslexia.

Take Action!

If your child exhibits a persistent pattern of three or more of these warning signs over time, screening and assessment are strongly recommended. Beginning effective instruction from a reading tutor as early as possible will make a dramatic difference for your child and your family!

Warning Signs

General

• Family history of reading difficulty
• Delayed speech
• Apprehension about attending school

In Preschool

• Mixing up sounds in long words (such as bisgetti instead of spaghetti or aminal instead of animal)
• Trouble rhyming words
• Persistent left/right confusion
• Difficulty learning to tie shoes
• Trouble memorizing the alphabet, home address or phone number

In Elementary School

• Reversing letters after the first grade
• Slow, choppy, inaccurate reading
• Frequent guessing at unknown words
• Trouble remembering sight words
• Terrible spelling
• Slow, non-automatic handwriting
• Difficulty finding the correct word when speaking
• Especially messy bedroom, backpack, or desk

In Middle/High School

All of the above plus:

• Limited vocabulary
• Extremely poor written expression
• Poor grades in many classes
• Inability mastering a foreign language
• At risk for dropping out of school

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