Common signs of dyslexia in children kindergarten through fourth grade

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Common signs of dyslexia in children kindergarten through fourth grade

Dyslexia is a learning disability that hinders the development of some language skills. Children with dyslexia have problems translating the sounds within words (phonemes) into meaningful concepts. In those children whose symptoms are mild to moderate, one of the biggest challenges may be recognizing that the child has dyslexia. In these cases, especially with children who have high intelligence, dyslexia is sometimes not identified until later when higher reading skills are needed.

If your child has one or two of the following signs, it does not mean that he or she is dyslexic; however, it may mean that your child should be tested.

A child this age with dyslexia may:

• Have difficulty reading single words in isolation (decoding words).
• Be slow to learn the connection between letters and sounds.
• Confuse small words such as at and to, said and and, does and goes.
• Make consistent reading and spelling errors, including:
  • Letter reversals such as d for b.
  • Word reversals such as tip for pit.
  • Inversions such as m and w and u and n.
  • Transpositions such as felt and left.
  • Substitutions such as house and home.

Credits

Last updated:	June 12, 2008
Author:	Debby Golonka, MPH
Reviewed By:	Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics, Louis Pellegrino, MD - Developmental Pediatrics
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman, MATC