Dyslexia
Dyslexia:
What to Look for
by Sue Douglass Fliess
Is it normal for a child to have
delayed speech or letter identification? A lack of interest in books with a lot
of text? When should parents be concerned that their child has dyslexia?
First of all, be careful. Dyslexia
in preschoolers is extremely hard to diagnose because many of its symptoms are
developmentally common for all preschoolers. However, the more symptoms
that are present, and the longer they persist, the more likely it is that your
child may need some help. True dyslexia is often marked by a combination of
signs and a lack of progress over time.
What kind of combination are we
talking about? Laura L. Bailet, Ph.D., and executive director of Nemours BrightStart! Dyslexia Initiative, says a family
history of dyslexia, serious reading and spelling difficulty, and delayed
speech and language development could be signs that when combined, are a red
flag of possible dyslexia. Other early symptoms include:
- Difficulty pronouncing words correctly (for example,
"aminal" for animal)
- Difficulty rhyming
- Problems learning the names of shapes and colors
- A hard time learning letter names and letter sounds
- Difficulty separating and blending word parts (for
example, syllables and individual letter sounds)
- A tough time learning to write one's own name
- Problems with fine-motor skills, such as coloring,
writing, and tying shoes
As a parent, you can help in a
number of ways. But in general, any activity that builds vocabulary, listening
skills, and understanding of print will be beneficial. Dr. Bailet suggests the
following:
- Read a variety of books to your child daily, starting
around 6 months of age, and keep reading activities short and fun
- Point to each word as you read, or move your finger
left to right across the print
- Pause frequently during reading to ask questions or
have your child say the next word
- Engage your child in language play, with rhyming words
or words that start with the same sound
- Introduce new vocabulary words through daily
conversations with your child
- Use routine activities (like mealtime or car trips) to
talk about new words, discuss something interesting that has happened, and
share ideas and feelings
- At age 3 to 4 years, begin talking about letter names
and letter sounds
- At age 4 to 5 years, begin encouraging your child to
read and write his own first name.
- Provide magnet alphabet letters or letter blocks for
play.
- Provide markers, crayons, and paper to encourage
drawing and beginning writing
- Place your child in a high-quality preschool program if
possible
Even if you do all of these
activities, Dr. Bailet says, you won't be able to ensure that your child
doesn't struggle with dyslexia. "But by engaging in daily activities to
build language and literacy skills, your child will be better prepared for
school and you may prevent serious reading difficulty for him or her." At
the very least, you'll be able to recognize ready trouble early on. Most
dyslexia isn't recognized until the 3rd grade, or later.
That's unfortunate. Because
beginning early "with appropriate reading methods, starting in
kindergarten, gives each child the best chance for becoming a successful
reader," Bailet says. So stop worrying and start rhyming! Anything you can
do to build a love for words will help your preschooler, dyslexic, or not.