Warning Signs of Dyslexia

Having dyslexia doesn’t mean people aren’t smart. It means they have trouble with reading and other skills that involve language. 

Preschool

• Mispronouncing words, like saying beddy tear instead of teddy bear
• Saying thing and stuff instead of naming common objects
• Trouble learning nursery rhymes or singing the alphabet
• Telling stories that are hard to follow
• Difficulty following directions with multiple steps 

Grades K–2

• Trouble learning letter names and remembering the sounds they make
• Confusing letters that look similar (like b and d) or sound similar (like f and v)
• Struggling to read familiar words (like cat), especially if there aren’t pictures
• Substituting words when reading aloud, like house when the story says home
• Trouble separating the sounds in words and blending sounds to make words
• Struggling to remember how words are spelled

Grades 3–5

• Confusing or skipping small words like for and of when reading aloud
• Trouble sounding out new words and recognizing common ones 
• Struggling to explain what happened in a story or answer questions about it
• Frequently making the same kinds of mistakes, like reversing letters
• Spelling the same word correctly and incorrectly in the same exercise
• Avoiding reading whenever possible or getting frustrated or upset when reading

Tweens, Teens and Adults

• Reading slowly or skipping small words or parts of words when reading aloud
• Often searching for words or using substitutes like gate instead of fence
• Trouble “getting” jokes or understanding idioms, puns, and abbreviations
• Taking a very long time to complete reading assignments
• Having an easier time answering questions about text that’s read aloud

From understood.org

If your child is over the age of 8 years old and reading a year or more below grade-level, it is important to seek further assessment to best understand your child's learning profile and if specialized instruction is needed for academic success. Next steps might include contacting and sharing concerns with your child's pediatrician and/or the Individualized Education Program (IEP) team at your school.