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

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; 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”

• when speaking, 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

High School

All of the above symptoms plus:

• 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

Adults

Education history similar to above, plus:

• 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