If a child has 3 or more of the following warning signs, encourage that child’s parents and teachers to learn more about dyslexia. Thank you to Susan Barton, expert in Dyslexia and creator of The Barton Reading and Spelling Program, for this valuable resource.
In Preschool
delayed speech
mixing up the sounds and syllables in long words
chronic ear infections
severe reactions to childhood illnesses constant confusion of left versus right
late establishing a dominant hand
difficulty learning to tie shoes
trouble memorizing their address, phone
number, or the alphabet
can't create words that rhyme
a close relative with dyslexia
In Elementary School
dysgraphia (slow, non-automatic handwriting that is difficult to read)
letter or number reversals continuing past the end of first grade
extreme difficulty learning cursive
slow, choppy, inaccurate reading:
guesses based on shape or context
skips or misreads prepositions (at, to, of)
ignores suffixes
can't sound out unknown words
terrible spelling
often can't remember sight words (they, were, does)
or homonyms (their, they're, and there)
difficulty telling time with a clock with hands
trouble with math:
memorizing multiplication tables
memorizing a sequence of steps
directionality
when speaking, difficulty finding the correct word:
lots of "whatyamacallits" and "thingies"
common sayings come out slightly twisted
extremely messy bedroom, backpack, and desk
dreads going to school:
complains of stomach aches or headaches
may have nightmares about school
In High School
All of the above symptoms plus: limited vocabulary
extremely poor written expression
large discrepancy between verbal skills
and written compositions
unable to master a foreign language
difficulty reading printed music
poor grades in many classes
may drop out of high school
In Adults
Education history similar to above, plus:
slow reader
may have to read a page 2 or 3 times to understand it
terrible speller
difficulty putting thoughts onto paper:
dreads writing memos or letters
still has difficulty with right versus left
often gets lost, even in a familiar city
sometimes confuses b and d, especially when tired or sick
Copyright © 2002 by Susan Barton. All Rights Reserved.
Reprinted with prior permission from Susan Barton. To learn more about Dyslexia, visit bartonreading.com and brightsolutions.us.
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