Detecting Dyslexia in Young Children

From the Bright Solutions for Dyslexia, Inc. website, dyslexia is simply defined as, “an inherited condition that makes it extremely difficult to read, write and spell in your native language – despite at least average intelligence.” So, it is basically a reading disability and not necessarily a learning disability (depending on severity) by legal definition. The condition is neurologically based, genetic and includes dominance of the right side (creative side) of the brain. Dyslexics use a different part of their brain to read, which is sometimes not the most efficient; however, they are capable of learning to read given the appropriate support.

There are many signs which can indicate that a child has dyslexia. Have you noticed that your child:

• Has trouble with pronunciation, articulation or rhyming words?
• Has trouble learning letters and their corresponding sounds?
• Has trouble with phonemic awareness (the sound components of words) or with recognizing syllables?
• Has fine motor difficulties?
• Can’t or won’t sound out words?
• Misspells words even when copying from another source?

These are only a few of the signs of dyslexia. The Bright Solutions website can provide a more comprehensive list.

Dyslexia can be diagnosed as early as Kindergarten age, but most schools will recommend waiting until second or third grade to see if the child will outgrow the symptoms. Unfortunately, the later the condition is identified, the more the child will struggle which can impact his confidence, self-esteem and willingness to read. As with other learning challenges, early detection is beneficial.

Dyslexia is diagnosed using multiple tests, possibly as many as twelve, in areas such as speech, hearing and auditory processing, vision, memory, IQ and handwriting. Family histories will likely be requested as well. Evaluations are often performed by school reading specialists or psychologists, but these professionals might not have particular expertise with dyslexia.

Testing should be done by a dyslexia expert. It is important to remember that when schools are evaluating a child, it is to see if the child is eligible for special education services. Unless a child has severe dyslexia, they usually won’t meet the legal criteria for services and will likely be left to struggle.

If you suspect that your child might be dyslexic and have a family history of dyslexia, ask your pediatrician to help you locate a dyslexia specialist for evaluation. With the right strategies and accommodations, your child can succeed and even thrive in school despite these challenges.

Source: author experience

Bright Solutions for Dyslexia website