Children can not be identified as dyslexic until they begin formal reading instruction and show difficulty learning how to read despite average to above average intelligence.  However, research has shown that children who are identified as dyslexic have certain characteristics that can be observed during their preschool years.  These include:

            1. Delay in speaking

• First words spoken late (at 15 months as compared to 12 months)
• First phrases spoken late (at 2 years as compared to 18 months)  

            2.  Difficulties with pronunciation

• By 5 or 6 years of age, children should have little problem saying most words correctly. Children vulnerable to dyslexia have frequent mispronunciations. 

            3.  Not learning nursery rhymes

• At at risk child is insensitive to rhyme. Children at risk for dyslexia are not aware that words can be broken down into smaller segments of sound and that different words may share a sound in common. A child’s familiarity with nursery rhymes is a strong predictor of later reading success.

             4.  Trouble learning names and sounds of letters

• Difficulty learning the alphabet, learning the names of individual letters and then learning the sounds that each letter represents is an early warning signal that the child may have a reading problem.

             5.  Family history of reading problems

• Dyslexia runs in families.  If other relatives have a history of reading problems and the child is having the difficulties with spoken language mentioned above, he / she should be tested for early indicators of dyslexia.

             6.  Strengths in thinking and reasoning

• A child has problems getting to the sounds of words but is also curious, has a good imagination, excellent comprehension of stories read to him,  and an eager embrace of new ideas.

             If a preschool child has these characteristics, it is highly  likely that he or she is dyslexic.  Research has shown that early identification, when linked to effective programs of intervention, can make a huge difference. Such intervention can ensure that these children will not have to experience reading failure when formal reading instruction begins.  This research is the driving force behind our creation of the Kayak program at Odyssey.  We have identified children who are at risk for dyslexia and are offering a year of intense remediation to help set them up for success as they learn how to read.