How to Identify Dyslexia in Children

Dyslexia is a learning disability estimated to affect more than 15 percent of children. Children with dyslexia often have problems connecting letters with their corresponding sounds. Although only a specialist can diagnose a child with dyslexia, parents and teachers can often identify many of the symptoms. Often, you have all of the information in front of you to make a good guess about whether your child might have dyslexia.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Paper Pen

1. Consider your child's speaking skills. Did your child speak late? Does she still have difficulty in pronouncing longer words?

2. Evaluate your child's prereading and reading skills. Did your child have a difficult time learning the alphabet and undertanding how letters and sounds are connected? Does he have difficulty decoding simple words, and does he reverse letters (e.g., b and d) or words (e.g., pot for top)?

3. Evaluate your child's writing skills. Does your child have near illegible handwriting? Did she take a long time to learn how to write her name?

4. Identify close family members that have had difficulty reading. Have any of them been identified as having dyslexia or another learning problem?

5. Write down your observations from the first four steps, and keep detailed records, if possible, for several days. Bring your records to your pediatrician and explain your concerns. Ask your pediatrician to refer you to a reading specialist or psychologist for a diagnosis.

Tips & Warnings

• If your child is diagnosed with dyslexia, make sure to get help as soon as possible. Children with dyslexia can compensate for their disability by learning strategies that can help them to read.

References

• The Children's Hospital - Understanding Dyslexia