WARNING SIGNS OF DYSLEXIA

If a child has 3 or more of the following warning signs, we encourage parents and teachers to learn more about dyslexia.
To learn more about dyslexia please click on the following link: Bright Solutions for Dyslexia

                     IN PRESCHOOL
                         - delayed speech
                         - mixing up the sounds and syllables in long words
                         - chronic ear infections
                         - severe reactions to childhood illnesses
                         - constant confusion of left versus right
                         - late establishing a dominant hand
                         - difficulty learning to tie shoes
                         - trouble memorizing their address,  phone number, or the alphabet
                         - can’t create words that rhyme
                         - a close relative with dyslexia

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                     IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
                        - dysgraphia (slow, non-automatic handwriting that is difficult to read)
                         - letter of number reversals continuing past the end of first grade
                         - extreme difficulty learning cursive
                         - slow, choppy, inaccurate reading:
                                     - guesses based on shape or context
                                     - skips or misreads prepositions (at, to, of)
                                     - ignores suffixes
                                     - can’t sound out unknown words
                         - terrible spelling
                         - often can’t remember sight words (they, were, does)
                            or homonyms (their, they’re, and there)
                         - difficulty telling time with a clock with hands
                         - trouble with math
                                     - memorizing multiplication tables
                                     - memorizing a sequence of steps
                                     - directionality
                         - when speaking, hard finding the correct word
                                     - lots of “whatyamacallits” and “thingies”
                                     - common sayings come out slightly twisted
                         - extremely messy bedroom, backpack, and desk
                         - dreads going to school
                                     - complains of stomach aches or headaches
                                     - may have nightmares about school

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                     IN HIGH SCHOOL
                         All of the earlier symptoms plus:
                         - limited vocabulary
                         - extremely poor written expression
                                 - large discrepancy between verbal skills and written compositions
                         - unable to master a foreign language
                         - difficulty reading printed music
                         - poor grades in many classes
                         - may drop out of high school

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IN ADULTS
Education history similar to earlier symptoms, plus:
- slow reader
- may have to read a page 2 or 3 times to  understand it
- terrible speller
- difficulty putting thoughts onto paper
          - dreads writing memos or letters
- still has difficulty with right versus left
- often gets lost, even in a familiar city
- sometimes confuses b and d, especially when tired or        sick

Copyright © 2002 by Susan Barton. All Rights Reserved.