Signs of Dyslexia

February 19, 2023

Common and Surprising Signs of Dyslexia

Many people have asked me, “How do I know if my child has dyslexia?” There are many signs to look for which I will share in this post. Some are the expected, but others are more surprising, because dyslexia is how the brain processes language. When I first started learning about dyslexia, I thought it only affected reading, but it didn’t take me long to realize that there are so many potential areas that it can affect.


One thing to keep in mind is that dyslexia is hereditary, and it usually doesn’t skip generations. The severity of dyslexia can and does change from one generation to the next. In other words, it can look a little different from one generation to another. It’s possible to go for a few generations with very mild symptoms, and then suddenly have a child born who is severely dyslexic. Where the family members with dyslexia in previous generations may have experienced only 3 or 4 symptoms, and got along in school okay although it was difficult, the next generation might have a child that experiences 10 symptoms, and struggles so much in school that everyone is wondering what happened?


The good news is that as soon as a parent or teacher recognizes what is happening, that child can start getting help (if you live in a state that recognizes dyslexia for what it is – a processing problem, not a behavior problem). There are many Orton-Gillingham based reading systems that will work well with a dyslexic student. If you are lucky enough to live within a school district that has one of these tools, and they agree to start your child in this specialized reading system, you’re a step ahead.


Unfortunately, this is not an option for so many families!


If you fall into this group, keep reading. You, as the parent, will need to be your child’s best advocate. If you read my last Blog, you know that this is how I became so involved with learning everything I could about dyslexia, and then helping dyslexics for the last 18 years.


First of all, here are some of the more common warning signs of dyslexia:

1) Delayed speech

2) Constant confusion of left versus right

3) Letter or number reversals continuing past first grade

4) Slow, inaccurate reading (may misread or skip prepositions like: in, at, of)

5) Can’t sound out unknown words

6) Difficulty copying from the board and/or book

7) Terrible spelling

8) Dysgraphia (slow, nonautomatic handwriting that is hard to read)

9) Extremely poor written expression, although verbal communication is normal

10)   Poor grades no matter how hard they try

11)   Avoiding reading whenever possible

 

Some warning signs that may surprise you:

1) Late establishing a dominant hand

2) Trouble learning to tie shoes (Velcro is our friend)

3) Trouble telling time on a clock with hands (we are now blessed with digital)

4) Extremely messy bedroom, backpack, and desk

5) Dreads going to school

6) May have nightmares about school

7) Unable to master a foreign language (ASL – American Sign Language is an option)

8) Trouble “getting” jokes

9) Easily answers questions about paragraphs that are read aloud, even though they struggle to answer the same questions if they read the paragraph for themselves.

 

Most dyslexics do not exhibit every symptom. Dyslexia can look different and is individualized for each person. There so many combinations of symptoms that unless you’re familiar with the list, it can be very difficult to understand what the dyslexic child or adult is facing. (I’m posting a more comprehensive, but not exhaustive, list of symptoms on my website).


Remember: Knowledge about dyslexia, is power to know what questions to ask.

Ten Things to Help Your Child Be Prepared to Learn

August 6, 2025
Do you remember the beginning of each school year when you were young? I do! I loved school, or at least elementary and junior high. High school was not as much fun because of all of the drama probably due to raging hormones. During the summers, as kids, we would play school. Actually, it was a good thing. It helped us remember our math skills, and kept us reading throughout the summer. I’m of the age that home computers did not exist yet, and you were lucky if you had a wall phone without a party-line (when you share your phone line with someone else because there weren’t enough lines to go around). Obviously, we didn’t have cell phones to distract us. We played some of the standard games of that time period like Monopoly and Scrabble, but mostly we made up our own games to play outside. But today is much different. Hopefully our children are still excited about a new school year, but our children today face challenges that did not exist when I was in school. We have technology in most classrooms that can either be a huge blessing or for some a curse. But regardless of how our classrooms are structured, either at school or at home (for homeschool families), one thing remains the same, our children are there to learn. We, as the adults in the room, need to bring structure and the cohesiveness needed for the best learning outcomes. So, here are 10 things that parents can do to help their children be prepared to learn? Make sure they have enough school clothes that fit so that they are not self-conscious about how they look. If you can only afford one week’s worth of clothes that’s okay. Laundry can be done on the weekend, and the order in which they wear their clothes or the way they pair shirts and pants can change for new combinations. Get the most important school supplies ahead of time and have them in their backpack. Other supplies can be purchased as needed. (In many places the two or three weeks before school starts, all school supplies are really cheap comparatively, so if you can afford it, it’s nice to stock up on what you know will be needed.) Have a plan for an easy, healthy, high-protein, low-sugar breakfast they can eat each morning. If they take lunch, it’s helpful to fix it the night before and put it in the refrigerator to eliminate a lot of morning stress. Make sure homework or anything else that needs to go to school the next day is in the backpack the night before. Arrive at school a little early, so they won’t feel embarrassed by walking in late. You want them to get off to a good calm start every day. In the evenings, talk about what your child learned that day. Ask appropriate questions about each subject. If they need help, it’s okay to help them. Children learn in all different ways. Sometimes they may need some input from you to be able to do the assignment. If you feel they are struggling in school in general, schedule an appointment to meet with the teacher right away. If it’s just one subject that’s hard for them, I would personally schedule an appointment to meet with the teacher. Most teachers want to know if there is a struggle, so they can meet that individual need. Be aware of what your child is learning in school. If you have questions, ask the teacher, but don’t be a “helicopter” parent. The best place to do homework for a younger child is the dining room table. It helps them stay on track, and it lets you know what they should be learning. Actually, in my home we all did homework at the dining room table all the way through high school. It eliminates isolation and provides immediate help when needed. Happy New School Year!
More Posts