Possible signs of Dyslexia

Please note, many of the items on this list are part of developmental stages that all children experience.  If the problems persist, that is when they may be signs of an underlying issue.

Up to 7 Years:

• Mispronouncing words
• Difficulty with rhyming words, nursery rhymes, songs
• Poor sense of left and right
• Difficulty with certain sounds e.g. b/d,
• Easily distracted, daydreaming
• Below average achievement in reading, writing and/or spelling
• Difficulty holding a pencil/pen/scissors
• Clumsiness
• Difficulty understanding the concept of times, days of the week, months of the year
• Difficulties counting and sequencing numbers
• Difficulties with matching games
• Problems fastening buttons, laces, zips
• Signs of frustration at school/home
• Reluctant to attend school
• Family history of Dyslexia/SpLDS

Ages 7-13

• Reading age below chronological age
• Difficulty with letter sounds
• Poor spelling
• Poor handwriting
• Poor or no use of punctuation
• Difficulty putting ideas on paper or ‘getting started’
• Don’t enjoy reading, may avoid it
• Misreads words
• Appears to read well but doesn’t remember what they’ve read
• Difficulties copying
• May reverse numbers
• Struggles to remember times tables/days of the week/months of the year/alphabet
• Clumsiness and lack of co-ordination is still present
• Slow to process information
• Difficulty following oral instructions
• Increasing frustration

Ages 13 and upwards

• Underdeveloped reading and writing skills
• Difficulty following a series of instructions
• Problems putting ideas across to others
• Confuse and/or mispronounce words
• Good verbal skills
• Struggle with notetaking
• Poor organisational skills
• Takes longer to complete tasks
• Experiences memory problems
• Finds it challenging to revise for exams and memorise facts