Could it be dyslexia?
Dyslexia is identifiable with 92% accuracy by ages 5½–6½. Knowing the signs — and the strengths — is the first step.
“Dyslexia is a specific learning disability characterized by difficulties in word reading and/or spelling… These difficulties persist even with instruction that is effective for the individual’s peers.”
— International Dyslexia Association
The differences are personal. The diagnosis is medical. The treatment is educational. The understanding is scientific.
Warning signs
If your child has three or more…
…please call (707) 953-2118 to learn more. Early help matters most.
In preschool
- Delayed speech
- Mixing up 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 address, phone number, or the alphabet
- Can’t create words that rhyme
- A close relative with dyslexia
In elementary school
- Dysgraphia — slow, hard-to-read handwriting
- Letter or number reversals past first grade
- Extreme difficulty learning cursive
- Slow, choppy, inaccurate reading; guessing from shape or context
- Skips or misreads small words (at, to, of); ignores suffixes
- Can’t sound out unknown words
- Terrible spelling; trouble with sight words (they, were) and homonyms (their/they’re/there)
- Difficulty telling time on an analog clock
- Trouble memorizing math facts or step sequences
- Word-finding difficulty — lots of “whatchamacallits” and “thingies”
- Extremely messy bedroom, backpack, and desk
- Dreads school; complains of stomach aches or headaches
For warning signs in high school and adults, see Bright Solutions for Dyslexia.
The other side of dyslexia
Dyslexic minds are gifted minds
Dyslexics possess interconnected reasoning that makes great philosophers, theorists, and futurists. They grasp the “big picture” and see ideas from diverse angles. The goal of tutoring isn’t to change who your child is — it’s to unlock the reading skills that let their gifts shine.
Not sure where your child stands?
A free 30-minute consultation is the easiest first step. We’ll listen, answer your questions, and help you understand your options — with no pressure.