Angie Beck
Dyslexia Remediation Specialist
and
Dyslexia Advocacy Services

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If a child has 3 or more of the following warning signs, encourage that child’s parents and teachers to learn more about dyslexia.

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In Preschool

• delayed speech

• mixing up the sounds and syllables in long words

• chronic ear infections

• stuttering

• 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

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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 

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In High School

All of the above symptoms plus:

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• 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

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In Adults

Education history similar to above, plus:

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• 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

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Copyright © 2002 by Susan Barton. All Rights Reserved.