Warning Signs

A person with dyslexia will not have every single warning sign. But if three or more of the following warning signs are present, don’t wait.

Preschool:

• Delayed Speech

• Chronic ear infections

• Mixes up syllables in words (bisghetti for spaghetti, aminal for animal, flutterby for butterfly)

• Constantly confusing left versus right

• Late establishing a dominant hand

• Difficulty learning to tie shoes

• Difficulty memorizing their address, phone number, or the alphabet

• Has a close relative who has these warning signs

Elementary:

• Dysgraphia (poor handwriting)

• Letter/number reversals continuing past the end of 1st grade

• Difficulty learning sight words

• Slow, choppy, inaccurate reading

• Terrible spelling

• Trouble with memorizing math facts or multiplication tables

• Extreme difficulty learning cursive

• “Homework wars” – child cannot do homework independently or in a reasonable amount of time

High School:

(all of the above plus)

• Extremely poor written expression

• Unable to master a foreign language

• Difficulty reading printed music

• Poor grades in many classes

• May drop out of high school