What are the signs and symptoms of dyslexia in a kindergarten or first grader?
As you know, early intervention is imperative. It’s still not too late! (Actually, a diagnosis and remediation is never too late.) The likelihood of a kindergartener of first grader overcoming reading difficulties is
As a reading practitioner, knowing the possible signs of dyslexia is a prerequisite. While only a psychologist or neurologist can diagnose dyslexia, all of the stakeholders in a child’s life can and should be aware of what to look for.
Sally Shaywitz calls them clues to dyslexia and signs of strengths in higher-level thinking processes.
The fellow that trained me in Orton-Gillingham called them red flags (and green flags).
In any case, there are some general things we can pay attention to if we know what to look for.
If any of these apply to you or your child, consider getting outside assistance from a professional or contact us.
Red Flags: Signs of Dyslexia in a Kindergarten and First Grade Child
- Failure to understand that words come apart; for example, batboy can be pulled apart into bat and boy, and, later on, that bat can be broken down further into /b/ /a/ /t/
- Inability to associate letters with sounds; for example, being unable to connect the sound /b/ with the letter ‘b’
- Reading errors that show no connection to the sounds of letters. For example, the word giant may be read as great
- Inability to read common one-syllable words
- Inability to sound out even the simplest of words, such as cat, dog, hop, nap
- Complains about how hard reading is, or runs away or hides when it is time to read
- A history of reading problems in parents or siblings
Green Flags : Signs of Strengths in a Kindergartener or First Grader Who Has Dyslexia
- Curiosity
- A great imagination
- Ability to figure things out
- Eager embrace of new ideas
- Gets the ‘gist’ of things
- Good understanding of new concepts
- Surprising maturity
- Large vocabulary for their age
- Enjoys solving puzzles
- Talent at building models
Sources: Sally Shaywitz Overcoming Dyslexia