3 ways to identify early signs of dyslexia in your children

Being aware of the early indicators of dyslexia can be a game changer. Check out the early warning signs of dyslexia to look out for in your children.

It's possible that your child has dyslexia if they appear to have difficulty with spelling, reading, writing, or math. A learning condition called dyslexia affects a person's oral and written language, making it challenging for them to comprehend or read words and/or numbers. Because of this, it can be particularly difficult for young children to follow directions in a conventional academic setting like a classroom. According to a study by the Indian Journal of Psychiatric Nursing, the prevalence of dyslexia is estimated to be between 5% and 17% of school-age children in India. Dyslexia can also look different as kids get older. It is important to recognise its symptoms at an early age so that appropriate therapy can be provided.

According to Dr. Carrie, child therapist and ADHD expert, "Dyslexia is a learning disorder with difficulties in reading, such as decoding, that can also impact spelling. It is common and often co-occurs in children with ADHD. It can occur in children who are intellectually gifted and does not impact intelligence. The only way to know if a child has dyslexia is to recognise its early symptoms and through a formal and comprehensive evaluation by a trained professional where they perform a series of tests to determine how your child’s reading and other abilities compare to their peers."

Dr. Lauren, Certified Special Educator and Founder of Think Dyslexia, suggested three ways to identify early signs of dyslexia in your child in her Instagram post.

1. Language

Observe your child's language development. Be on the alert for problems in rhyming, pronunciation and word finding.

2. Print to language

Observe your child's ability to connect print to language. Notice if they are beginning to name individual letters.

3. Family history

Be alert to problems in speaking, reading, writing, spelling or learning a foreign language.

4. Trouble learning to count

Identify if your child has trouble learning to count or struggles to connect a number to an object, such as knowing that "3" applies to groups of things like 3 cakes, 3 cars, or 3 friends. Observe if they struggle to recognise patterns, like smallest to largest or tallest to shortest.

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