This is part 2 in a series about Dyslexia. The author, Robin, is a mother of 4 boys, 2 of whom have dyslexia.  She has been taking her sons to private tutoring and researching as much as she can about dyslexia for the past 7 years.

What does Dyslexia look like?

Do you have a child struggling to read?  It might be Dyslexia.  It’s not just reversal of letters as most people think.  Dyslexia manifests itself in a variety of ways.  It has been estimated that one in five children of average or higher intelligence have this common learning difference.  Look at this list of symptoms.  If you have a child who exhibits a few of them, maybe it’s time to be tested.

* difficulty reading unfamiliar words

* slow, sound by sound reading

* headaches when reading

* words moving, shifting, or blurring on the page

* difficulty with handwriting

* unable to write alphabet in order or alphabetize

* reverses or flips letters or numbers

* writes from right to left or backwards

* unable to determine dexterity –  tries to use both hands

* difficulty of eyes following text on a line

* fixating on one word or area of text for longer than normal

* spells phonetically, often eliminating vowels (HND for hand)

* poor organizational skills – messy desk or backpack, forgets homework

* loses concentration and attention quickly

* makes many errors while reading

* re-reads text often

* mispronounces larger words – amblience for ambulance, pasketti for spaghetti

* has difficulty recalling a list of items when given the list verbally

* has difficulty remembering names or objects

* forgets or doesn’t follow instructions

* slower than most kids to complete work or tasks

* difficulty learning math facts, days of the week, months of the year

* lack of coordination, clumsy or bumps into things

* difficulty remembering left from right

* is very artistic, musically inclines, or athletic (right brained)

* seems to zone out

* learns best by hands-on activities

* knows material but doesn’t test well

* difficulty copying print

* writes in an upward or downward slant

* might be extremely orderly or line things up even if it’s not organized

* time management problems

* difficulty with large or fine motor skills

* difficulty telling time on a traditional face clock

* learning to type is difficult

It was a list similar to this one that helped me determine why my son was struggling to read and succeed in school.  His teacher had previously told me that she thought he was just lazy.  Look over the list and you’ll find that you too might recognize multiple symptoms in your struggling reader.  If you are a teacher, ask parents to look at this list.  Maybe they will recognize some of the symptoms that you don’t encounter at school.  If so, refer the child for testing.

Stay tuned for more in our Dyslexia series (symptoms, tips & tricks for parents and teachers)!

DISCLAIMER: The medical information in this article is merely information – not advice. If you need medical advice, you should consult a doctor or other appropriate medical professional.