Is your child an underachiever? Or is there more to the situation?
Here are some frequently missed hidden signs of dyslexia. Dyslexia is a neurological disorder that affects reading skills, it is estimated to affect 5-17% of the population, and it often goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. When dyslexia goes undiagnosed and untreated, children struggle with reading and oftentimes fall behind in school. It is important to be aware of the signs of dyslexia so that you are able to get your child the help that they need to succeed. Dyslexia doesn’t always present in a straightforward way. Here are a few ways to spot the indicators of dyslexia.
One sign of dyslexia is trouble with phonemic awareness: Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate individual sounds- or phonemes- in spoken words. Children with dyslexia often have trouble with phonemic awareness skills such as being able to identify and generate rhyming words, count the number of syllables in a word, or being able to substitute one sound for another to create a new word. If your child is having trouble with phonemic awareness skills, they may be at risk for dyslexia. If your child has trouble with letter recognition: Many children with dyslexia have trouble recognizing letters and words – even those they see often. This can make it difficult for them to sound out words when reading or spell words correctly when writing. If you notice that your child is struggling with letter or word recognition, it may be an indicator of dyslexia. Another sign of dyslexia is having trouble with decoding words: Decoding is the ability to use letter-sound correspondence to read unfamiliar words. A child who struggles with decoding skills may be able to read some familiar words but has difficulty reading new or unfamiliar words. If you notice that your child is struggling with decoding skills, it could be an indicator of dyslexia.
If you suspect that your child may have dyslexia, it is important to get them evaluated by a professional as soon as possible.
Early intervention is key to helping children with dyslexia succeed in school and in life. There are a number of effective treatments for dyslexia, so do not hesitate to seek help if you think your child may be struggling with this disorder. Share this with someone who has a child struggling in school, it could be exactly what they need to know to change their education experience forever.
