All about dyslexia in children
Read on to learn more about dyslexia, how children are tested for it, and the most common symptoms of this learning disability by grade level.
Dyslexia is a learning disability that affects millions of children around the world. Dyslexics have difficulty reading and spelling. However, this is not due to a lack of knowledge or intelligence. Instead, it’s caused by a condition or disorder that impairs comprehension and processing skills.
What does dyslexia look like?
Many misconceptions are floating around about dyslexia. Some believe it’s caused by vision problems (it is not) or that writing letters backwards is a defining feature of the condition (again, not true). It’s also not something children outgrow.
Simply put, dyslexia is the inability to associate letters with spoken language sounds.
As a result, the traditional methods of teaching children to read that focusses on letter sounds and phonics worksheets are stumbling blocks for children with dyslexia. They have difficulty breaking down a word into its sound parts (phonemes) and understanding, for example, that ph sounds like f.
How early can dyslexia symptoms be spotted?
While dyslexia becomes very apparent once a child starts learning to read, the signs of dyslexia may appear earlier. Some children can (and do) exhibit symptoms as young as three years old.
Some of the first signs of dyslexia are:
- Rhyming difficulties
- Difficulties following directions, telling stories and reciting the alphabet
- Can’t sound out new, unfamiliar words
- Speech delays
- Difficulties identifying the letters in their name
- Mispronounces words
Is dyslexia genetic?
There is a genetic component to dyslexia, which accounts for 80 to 90 percent of all learning disabilities. This means that children of dyslexic parents are more likely than other children to develop the disability. However, it can also be caused by other factors, such as foetal exposure to harmful chemicals or early stress exposure.
How is dyslexia identified?
You are the best person to detect early signs of dyslexia, even before your child learns their ABCs. Your child’s teacher should also be on the lookout for signs that something is wrong. In addition to tracking students’ reading progress, schools are required to screen for dyslexia as early as nursery school.
What dyslexia treatment options are available?
If your child’s academic progress is hampered by dyslexia, they may be eligible for extra help at school. Various methods and programmes have been shown to improve children’s reading ability. They all emphasise teaching dyslexic children how to sound out small, simple words, break down larger words, and memorise sight words.
