The signs of dyslexia may look different at different ages. It is commonly thought that parents and teachers will not see symptoms of dyslexia until a child is in elementary school. While it is true that dyslexia is usually formally identified in school-age children, preschoolers may show some delays that could indicate dyslexia. Showing one or two of these signs may not be cause for alarm as the delays could be developmental. However, when a child displays several symptoms that do not go away it may be time to seek help for your child.
Delayed language development can be one of the first warning signs of dyslexia because language is a building block for reading. Below are some possible red flags.
- may not talk much
- may be hesitant to talk around people who are not in his or her immediate family
- sounds like a younger child when talking because of difficulty making letter sounds correctly
- has a limited vocabulary compared to other children of the same age
- has difficulty forming sentences that make sense (words in a sentence may be in the wrong order)
- struggles with learning the names of colors, numbers, or letters
- unable to recall names of objects or familiar people
- has difficulty rhyming
- has difficulty with directional commands (e.g., under/over, up/down)
- has difficulty following verbal directions
Talk to your child’s doctor if you are concerned about his or her development.